Goblin Communications
by afish.2far
Summary: What if the goblins wrote to Harry on his eleventh birthday? Dursley treatment not physical abuse just neglect and completely uncaring about him - how would this change him? What would this mean for Hogwarts? Dumbles bashing. Goblins/ Lord Potter story.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N** I wanted to write a Harry is Lord Potter story which included good relations with the goblins. This is what came out. I hope you enjoy it.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own any characters you might recognise the names of.

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

Harry picked up the mail from the doormat at number four, Privet Drive and absently handed it to his uncle before being shooed out of the kitchen. This was a routine morning for Harry, he had known nothing different. Once his uncle had gone to work and Dudley to school, he would get the leftover breakfast but he was not to interrupt their family mealtimes.

He entered the living room as he always did at this time, to make a start on his long list of chores for the day. He had learnt to read and write at the local primary school, but he barely ever turned up there now. He just got laughed at for his clothes, or Dudley would make up something new to get him into trouble. It made his life a lot easier not to be there. Even biased teachers couldn't blame an absent student of classroom pranks. Plus if he didn't go, he could then finish the list of chores he was given and might even be allowed some free time before he had to cook dinner or be Dudley's punchbag. His aunt didn't seem to care whether he went to school or not, as long as he didn't upset her Dudders, stayed out of her way and completed the chores.

He heard a sound at the window and looked up from polishing the fire grate. There, on the windowsill, stood a large tawny owl with something attached to its leg.

"Shoo!" Harry whispered harshly. "I've already done that windowsill. I don't want to have to do it again! Go away!"

The owl just stared at him and held out its leg. Harry ignored it and finished polishing up the grate. When he looked up, the owl was still there.

"Go on! Shoo!" Harry said again, motioning with his hands. "You flew in that window so you can just fly out again."

The owl spread its wings and Harry gave a satisfied smirk. That gave way to shock however when he felt the weight on his shoulder and foot being pressed into the side of his face.

"Alright alright, I'll take you outside then," he muttered.

The bird squawked and manoeuvred itself further around so that it had one foot on the bridge of Harry's nose.

"Get off you stupid thing!" Harry swatted it with his hands, but the owl just flapped around his head. "What is it you want with me anyway?" he snapped.

The owl stopped flapping, landed on Harry's arm and held out its leg again. This time Harry looked at what it was carrying. It was a rich envelope with an old wax seal holding it shut.

"Like a carrier pigeon, but the shop was obviously out of pigeons that day wasn't it?!" He chuckled drily at his own joke. "Who is this for then? Bet it's another of Dudley's ideas of a joke." He untied the letter and the owl flew back off to the windowsill, where it started to preen its feathers.

Harry inspected the envelope. The design on the seal was a circle with ten points around it and each point connected to every other it was not directly next to with a straight line. It was quite a pretty pattern, he thought. Around the edge he also saw some lettering.

"Gr...in...gotts" he said slowly. "Gringotts." He shrugged and turned the envelope over, realising that he should probably get on with delivering it so he could go back to cleaning. If he'd done the living room before breakfast then there was a chance he might get finished early.

He got the shock of his life when he saw, neatly printed, the words Harry James Potter. Nobody ever wrote to him, the only time his name was ever written down was when his relatives got letters asking why he wasn't at school! Even those had stopped now. Hearing noises in the kitchen, he hurriedly shoved the letter out of sight - baggy clothes were good for one thing at least - and sprinted into the cupboard under the stairs. He wasn't to be seen when Uncle Vernon was leaving for work, the man said he didn't want to be reminded of Harry's existence after his nice breakfast.

Letting his heart rate return to normal, Harry pulled out the letter again. There was no stamp and no address but yet that carrier-owl had known exactly where to come. He would have to do some research on owls and carrier pigeons to see what made them able to do that.

"Well I suppose I should see..." he muttered as he tore open the envelope. Thick parchment, covered in the same precise handwriting fell out. Harry's mouth dropped open as he read, but by the time he'd finished he was laughing quite heartily. He read it again, certain he'd not had this much of a laugh in months.

 _Dear Mr Potter_

 _As you will turn eleven in a few months time, and will receive your invitation to Hogwarts, we would like to meet with you to discuss your intentions for the Potter Estate._

 _You will be recognised as the Potter heir from your eleventh birthday and due to the unfortunate death of your father, you will inherit the title of Lord Potter at that time as well._

 _You will not have full access to all of the Potter vaults until you become of age, but we will try honour your wishes as best we can._

 _Please reply back with a time to suit you for a meeting. If no meeting is possible prior to your eleventh birthday, please inform us._

 _May your gold ever flow and your enemies crumble._

 _Griphook_

 _Potter Account Manager_

Several phrases were flying around Harry's brain as he lay giggling on his tiny mattress. Most started with "what the..." He felt his stomach rumble and went to see what was left over from breakfast and see what was the best way to reward Dudley for such a good morning.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

A week later Harry saw the same owl again, in the same place, sitting on the living room windowsill. He had done nothing about the last letter in the end, deciding that Dudley would never do anything enjoyable to or for him, so if he didn't respond, maybe it would be repeated. He took the letter with much less ceremony this time, and managed to finish cleaning the living room before the end of breakfast.

Sitting in his cupboard again, he opened the strange envelope and read what was in for him this time.

 _Dear Mr Potter_

 _Our records show that our first communication with you was received and read but not replied to; we would be most appreciative if you could do so at your earliest convenience._

 _If transport is a problem then please note that this letter has been charmed into a portkey and will activate with the phrase "fortius quo fidelius". Please bring your guardian(s) with you._

 _May your vaults be ever increasing and your enemies quake before you._

 _Griphook_

 _Potter Account Manager_

Languages were a thing that had always come easily to Harry. So easily in fact, most of the time he didn't even realise it wasn't English he was seeing. Spoken or written, he just knew instinctively what everything meant. With no-one to tell however he didn't realise how unique this gift was.

"Hmmm. Strength through loyalty. Nice phrase," he muttered as he headed down for breakfast.

The owl wouldn't leave. Last time it took Harry throwing it out of the window to get it out, he didn't think Aunt Petunia would be pleased with an owl in her pristine living room, but this time it was following him around everywhere. Every time he tried to catch it, it avoided him and kept sticking its empty leg in his face. He was glad his aunt was out at her weekly women's meeting. He could have hopefully sorted it by the time she got back and if he worked at double speed he might even get all of the jobs done.

"Look!" he roared at the owl "I don't know why you won't go, but if someone's playing a prank on me it's a bit useless because they're not here to see it!" The leg was in his face again. "You want the letter? Fine! Here you are!" He grabbed a pen and wrote three letters on the back of the parchment before throwing it at the owl which, miraculously, managed to catch the paper in its beak and flew off as if nothing untoward had happened.

Harry went out into the garden and started weeding. The vegetable patch was very vulnerable right now and he didn't want to face his aunt if something happened to her pumpkins or cabbages.

Finishing outside several hours later, Harry absently washed himself with the garden hosepipe - if he brought mud inside he would just have to clean it later. His mind was thinking about the two letters he had received. He almost wished the dratted owl was here so he could have something to shout at instead of having to think. He found himself in his cupboard before he knew where he was, holding the other piece of parchment in his hand.

"Strength through loyalty" he murmured with a small smile. "Fortius quo fidelius." His smile turned to shock as he felt a sharp tug in his stomach.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N** Thanks for all the favourites, follows and reviews!

Lazylim - thanks for your comments. I hadn't spotted that Latin problem and I hate things like that so you can be rest assured I will find some way to fix it! This Harry is inquisitive and interested in everything that goes on around him but he always takes the path of least pain on anything. His main goal is to have an easy life. His ten year old self does come out more in this chapter and later on, but it was never my intention to create a "superpowered Harry". This is a Harry transferring his lifestyle growing up into new situations and watching what happens. I hope you continue to read this and in a few chapters time you feel the same.

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

Harry got to his feet warily, looking around him. He was in a bare stone chamber with a door just barely visible. Harry could only see where it should be because he was used to looking for detail. Aunt Petunia could spot a speck of dust above the fireplace from the doorway. He had to be good at detail otherwise he would never be finished.

This had to be to do with that letter. It had talked about transport, had said something about activating when he spoke that Latin phrase. He didn't know how Dudley had done it, but he must have been listening in or something. The problem was that it just didn't have the same feel as one of Dudley's traps, it was too... good.

"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth" he muttered to himself.

Which therefore meant that the letter was somehow true and he was in the Gringotts place. He was interrupted by a harsh "State your business!"

Harry looked up quickly and saw a strange midget with pointy ears was standing by him who had definitely not been there when he arrived. The eyes were creepy. Harry could also tell that this person was armed, wearing armour and didn't look like anyone he had ever seen. Maybe he was seeing things because of his rough landing. Or, if he were in Gringotts, perhaps these were the type of people that worked here. Certainly no shop would hire someone that looked like that, the customers would run screaming.

"State. Your. Business!" it shouted again, banging the end of its spear on the floor.

"Uh-uh-I'm sorry! I got this letter and it said that if I said a latin phrase it would activate a p-portkey. I was just admiring the phrase in my room and I must have said it out loud, I'm so sorry!" Harry babbled. "I didn't mean to be here, I'm sorry!" Harry broke down into terrified sobs. They echoed off the walls and combined with each other as well as his continued crying. The result was a deafening cacophony of sound.

"What is your name human child?" another asked.

"Ha-Harry P-Pot-Potter sir" Harry stuttered in between sobs.

"Let us take him to Griphook. He is the Potter account manager. He may have something to add before we take this to the Director" one said to the other. Harry paled. Whoever the Director was, it didn't sound good.

"This way. Don't dawdle."

xxxxxxxxxx

"Manager Griphook, we found this boy in the portkey room. He says he is Harry Potter" the first goblin said in gobbledegook.

"We wondered if you had anything to add before we go to the Director" added the second one.

"Well don't just stand there, let me see him" Griphook snapped.

Harry was pushed forward and stood, shaking in fear in front of the desk.

"Gringott be damned he's injured. Go and fetch a Healer - and not a word to the Director or you'll be on dragon duty before sunset!" Griphook ordered.

The two undergoblins left as fast as they could and Griphook came round to Harry, who was still shaking and was backing away as much as he could.

"Mr Potter, I do not intend to hurt you. I merely want to check that you are not in pain. Let it not be said that Gringotts does not care for its clients" Griphook said in a surprisingly low and calm voice.

"I'm fine" Harry said, cradling his left arm to his chest. He must have fallen on it when he landed here. He hadn't noticed it until now. He tried to calm he breathing and regain some self-control.

"Since you are here let me say, your reply to my letters, whilst short, took me by surprise" Griphook continued. "Were you unaware of your inheritance?"

"What inheritance sir? My parents were worthless drunks. They won't have left me anything." Harry was getting really confused and now he had realised it, his hand was beginning to hurt horribly.

"Mr Potter, your parents were extremely well off. As I said, you will inherit your lordship, estate and family magic at the age of eleven."

Harry looked the goblin full in the face. "I'm sorry sir, but what the Hell is going on?"

At that moment, the two goblins returned with a third. "The Healer, Manager Griphook" one said before quickly fleeing again. One thing they knew to avoid was an angry goblin manager.

"My client appears to have injured his arm. He says he is not in pain but his body language suggests differently" Griphook informed the Healer.

Harry was shaking so badly by the time the Healer had crossed the room to him that he could barely stand. When the Healer reached out to touch him, he screamed.

Armed goblin warriors were at the door almost instantly. They tried to crowd into the office, but Griphook blocked them out.

"There is no problem. Stand Down" he told them. Not one of them moved. "For Gringott's sake there is a terrified, injured ten year old child in there who has never seen a goblin before! Now Stand. Down!" Griphook bared his teeth at the warriors and they backed away a little.

Griphook glared at them and turned back to the Healer. "Did you succeed?"

"Yes Manager Griphook. Although he fainted when you were talking to the warriors. It was like he could understand your words but not what you were saying."

"Thankyou Healer. Go now; and take the warriors with you. I need to attend to my client."

"Yes Manager."

Griphook walked back to his desk and placed his hands on Harry's head to wake him gently.

"Mr Potter, have you ever heard of a goblin before?"

"Uh-no sir." He hoped that was the right answer. Everyone had read about fairies and pixies and gnomes and goblins in fantasy stories, but that question seemed different somehow.

"With whom have you been residing for the last nine years?"

"My aunt and uncle, sir. I stay out of their way, clean the house and cook the meals and they stay out of mine. I get to eat when they've gone sir!" He knew to make sure that it didn't sound like he was being mistreated.

"You've been raised by muggles?" Griphook asked.

"Errrrrrrm... what's a muggle sir?"

Griphook sighed. "It seems Mr Potter that you have been kept ignorant of your heritage. Goblins are not normally the ones that have to explain the existence of the magical world, but nevertheless I shall do so. Point you finger at that book and imagine it hovering."

At the direct order Harry complied. He already looked stupid and he was sitting across from a creature that called itself a goblin that was talking about some magical world. Things couldn't get much weirder. To his intense shock, the book did hover above the table for a moment before it fell back.

"How did that happen?" he asked in clear disbelief.

"You made it do so. Your magic raised it. There is a magical world Mr Potter and you are a wizard. When you turn eleven you will go to Hogwarts to learn how to use it. You will also inherit the family magics as I said before."

"Hogwarts?" Harry asked.

"School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"So... I'm a lord and I have magic powers?"

"That is the long and the short of it, yes."

Harry's answer was what every ten year old boy would say. "Cool!"

"So now we have established that and you are here, we may as well discuss what we are going to do with the Potter Estate."

"Do I have money?"

"Mr Potter, you're one of the wealthiest wizards in England."

"Oh. Ummmmm, do I have a house?"

"You have no fewer than 7 properties."

"Oh. Um wow. Do I get a wand to do magic?" Harry asked, excitement rather than fear showing on his face now.

"You don't need one, but you can."

"Cool! What do you suggest I do with everything?"

Griphook was shocked. What did he suggest? Goblins did as they were told, they didn't give advice.

"It is your decision Mr Potter."

"I want to go on a massive shopping trip, buy clothes and games and toys until I have everything that Dudley has!"

"I shall convert some galleons into muggle money when we are finished. What do you wish to do after that?"

"I can do anything I like?" asked Harry excitedly.

"Within reason."

"I want to go to school where Dudley doesn't torment me, I want to taste chocolate cake and I want to learn football" Harry said with a large grin.

"Do you wish to stay at your aunt's house?"

"I can move out?" Harry asked in shock. "I can have my own bedroom?"

"Mr Potter you have 7 houses. You may live in any one you wish, as long as you can look after yourself."

"I can cook and clean. I do it all the time for Aunt Petunia."

"Well this will cost you a little, but I can send a letter to your aunt, explaining that you no longer live there. Unless you wish to tell her yourself?"

"No, thankyou sir. A letter sounds great! So where can I live?"

"Here are your files Mr Potter, why don't you read through them and return when you've picked one?"

"Yes sir. Thankyou sir. I'm already really late and I'm going to have to work through dinner to try and finish all my chores today."

"You are a wizard Mr Potter. Ever heard of magic? Good day."

"Ummmm, sir?" Harry asked tentatively. "How do I get back home?"

"Take this. It will cost you ten galleons." He held out a round ring with the same design as the seal on the letters. "You can afford that" the goblin added.

"Ok. Thankyou sir."

When he was back in his cupboard, the boy grinned. He had magic powers and he was moving out! What little boy's dream wasn't granted with those?


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

A week later Harry returned to Gringotts to meet with Griphook again. He was bouncing up and down on his toes and was trying his best to contain his excitement but not really managing at all.

"Sir! It says my parents lived in the West Country can I live there please please please?" Harry babbled as soon as he had seen the goblin.

"A very good morning to you as well Mr Potter" Griphook replied, the corner of his mouth just creeping up. "I see you have decided where you want to live. If I may offer some advice?"

"Of course, please go on."

"Godric's Hollow, where the late Lord and Lady Potter lived is very well known. You are famous because of an attack there where your parents were murdered. Everyone around there would know you and that would likely create problems for you living there. You would be, at best, mothered over by every witch there each trying to take you in, or at worst sent back to your relatives. There are a lot of wizarding towns and villages in the West Country and news travels fast between them. If I were to recommend somewhere it would be one of the cottages in the non magical world. Lady Potter's favourite house was one she purchased before her marriage. You have seen the property file, you know the size and wealth of Potter Manor and some of the others, yet to her, a little cottage in Anglesey was her favourite."

"I'm... I'm famous?"

"Yes Mr Potter. Very famous to the Wizarding World. You defeated the greatest Dark Wizard for centuries when you were just fifteen months old. You are known as the Boy-Who-Lived."

"The Boy... Who... Lived." Harry looked at the goblin as if he had suddenly grown an extra head.

"Yes. Non magical people are unaware of our world and thus of you. If you stay there, you can live your life as you wish to. Gringotts will support you in any way it can, should the funds permit."

"Let me get this straight Mr Griphook. I'm famous for doing something which killed my parents and I can't remember but only wizards know about it? Normal people don't know that?"

"That is correct Mr Potter, yes."

"Can goblins do magic?"

"Yes. For the right fee goblins can do a lot of things."

"Thanks. So I can live in Mum's house and be only known as Harry. When can I move in?"

"Well that house is in quite a bad shape. The spells on it slowly lost their power since Lady Potter's death and whilst the outside is still intact, the inside will need attention. You'll need to-"

"Hang on a minute Mr Griphook. Do I have enough money to leave you in charge of it? I'd like to move in as soon as I can."

If Griphook had not been seated, he would have taken a step back. A wizard leaving a goblin in charge of a job? That was unthinkable! It took a lot to fluster a goblin, but Griphook hoped that his client had not seen his momentary shock.

"Have I done something wrong?" Harry asked. "I'm always doing things wrong according to Aunt Petunia."

Griphook sighed, trust the boy to have picked up on it. "No Mr Potter, quite the contrary. I have never been given such a big job before. Wizards like to ask wizards."

"But you can do it? I have enough money?"

"You have plenty. I shall see that the house is repaired, furnished and ready to move into in three days time."

"Thankyou. You said last time something about a letter?"

"Yes, to let your aunt know. Is there anything you would particularly like it to say?" Goblins wouldn't normally ask, and certainly never held favours, but Griphook just felt like he owed something to the young man stood in front of him for the respect he had shown to a "being".

"Ummmm tell them that they'll never have to see me again, they'll like that. Can it be delivered after I'm gone please?"

"Of course, Mr Potter. Was there anything else?"

"Just one thing sir. Could I have one of these portkey thingies to each of my properties? I'd like to see them."

"How about a custom one then? You say where you want to go and tap the top with your wand or finger. It costs a hundred galleons."

"Thankyou. Umm... I'm spending a lot of money and I remember Uncle Vernon talking about inve-inves-investigating or something and it making him money. Could you do that?"

"Investing. Yes you can. You can do it daily on the stock market, buy things to sell on, invest in a business, there's all sorts."

"Could I - could you do that? You're a banker I think and I've not had money before so I don't know anything. I could pay you to make all my money decisions. If it doesn't work, then it doesn't work." Harry shrugged to emphasise his point. "I might be a bit more interested when I'm older in working with you but for now I just want to go to school, make friends and be normal."

"Mr Potter are you sure?" Griphook managed to ask through his shock.

"Yes. I don't need money, but since I've got it I may as well do something useful with it. You're the only person I've met who's treated me kindly, sir."

"Very well. Sign the bottom of this parchment please."

Harry quickly scanned the page and added his best writing on the line.

"Thankyou. Pleasure doing business with you." He giggled as he finished. "I've always wanted to say that!"

"May your fortunes increase and your opponents quake at your footsteps" Griphook replied. "I shall let you know when your house is ready. Here is your custom portkey."

"Thankyou Mr Griphook" Harry said. "I look forward to meeting you again."

He activated his portkey and landed back in 4 Privet Drive which was, fortunately, still empty. He started to clean the kitchen, when he suddenly had a thought.

"I wonder if that imagining thing works here like it did in Gringotts?" he muttered to himself. Imagining the pan he was cleaning clean he waited but nothing happened. "Damn."

He continued trying to clean the pan but was struggling to get anywhere. "If they had decent pans I wouldn't be in this mess!" he growled. Suddenly he felt a whoosh of... something and the pan was sparkling clean. "How did I do that?" Harry wondered.

The day after he realised that it was when he got angry that things happened and the day after that he worked out that he had to imagine the action occurring rather than just the result. He had to imagine every little detail of what was happening intensely and his magic would do the same. By the time Griphook's note came on the third day, Harry could clean pretty much anything by magic.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N** Chapter 1 has been updated with an explanation for Harry's wonderful Latin skills. In case you don't want to go back and reread the additional paragraph is here:

 _Languages were a thing that had always come easily to Harry. So easily in fact, most of the time he didn't even realise it wasn't English he was seeing. Spoken or written, he just knew instinctively what everything meant. With no-one to tell however he didn't realise how unique this gift was._

There are a couple of other language things that happen later on in the story so I'm hoping this will set you up for those as well. I always aim for realistic in my stories, so let me know what you think! Thankyou to everyone who has commented so far!

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

The remaining months until Harry's eleventh birthday passed quickly. He was living on a little island off Wales and really enjoying it, he had made friends with the other boys that lived nearby and he had caught up in his new primary school. He was very pleased with how his life was now.

Returning from a very close and energetic game of football with his friends one afternoon in mid July he saw an envelope on the doormat. In precise green ink was written

Mr H J Potter

127 Y Garnedd

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch

Harry giggled about this writer's use of his full town name. It had to be official if someone hadn't abbreviated it! Turning the thick envelope over he saw another wax seal, but it wasn't the Gringotts crest. It was a large ornate letter H.

"Hogwarts!" Harry thought. "Finally they've written to me!"

He read the contents carefully and sent his reply back as instructed. Looking at the clock he realised it wasn't as late as he thought, if he hurried he could probably get his wand today! He quickly grabbed his coat before tapping his portkey and muttering "Diagon Alley".

Gringotts was easy enough to spot and Griphook had told him exactly where to find the wand shop from there. Realising that most of the shops were closing he hurried to his destination, glad that there were not many people around to notice and stare at him.

He had to try a lot of wands before the old creepy wand man was happy, but finally he stood there holding his first magic wand! Wanting to try it out immediately and realising that every other shop was shut anyway he portkeyed home.

To his severe disappointment he found that he could do very little with his wand. What he had learnt to do with a flick of a finger or a hand swipe, he just simply could not do with his wand! Resolving to ask Griphook why when he next met him, he stowed the wand away with his other school things he had ordered, made a light meal and then went to bed.

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On September 1, Harry was at Kings Cross Station at nine thirty am. Griphook had told him that he had to run into the wall between platforms nine and ten to get to where he needed to be. Harry was between the two platforms but he was waiting for a traveller free moment where he could try it in peace - he didn't want an audience if he crashed into the wall, thank you very much. The problem was, that being in a London station, there wasn't a pedestrian free minute to grab.

Suddenly he heard a voice behind him. "Excuse me, I don't want to seem rude but you seem to have the same luggage as Hermione and I just wondered if you knew how to get onto platform nine and three quarters?"

"I've been told that you have to run through the wall between these two platforms. I'm waiting for a moment when I won't have too much of an audience if it all goes wrong" Harry replied.

"Walk through a brick wall? That's impossible!"

"I'm inclined to agree with you. Laws of physics and all that. I suppose it's got to do with magic though. I mean take my ring-" Harry stopped abruptly and a huge grin crossed his face. "My ring! Let me see if this works. Platform nine and three quarters."

The three others looked around in astonishment as Harry vanished from sight. A moment later he returned, literally materialising out of the air.

"That's fantastic! Come on, grab hold of anything you want to bring with you and then hang onto me. I don't know if I can take other people but I'm damn well going to try!" He gripped his own trolley as he activated the portkey, landing all four of them next to a scarlet red steam engine. He turned around, grinning to find his three new acquaintances on their knees.

"Are you alright?" he asked. The girl, Hermione, was the first to reply that she was just shocked by the sensation, but slowly her parents also made it upright and they made their way onto the train. After some emotional farewells and thanks to Harry for bringing them there they left the platform, via a door with a sign written "MUGGLE WORLD" above it.

The two eleven year olds started to chat and once Harry had deflated the initial fan worship because of his name, they found they had lots in common. By the time the train started off, they were laughing and joking like they'd known each other for months rather than just an hour. They swore to always be there for each other and many other silly things besides, ate lots of sweets and generally had a good time. Harry had to endure the hero worship twice more as two other first years entered their little cabin during the train journey, but again they were quickly taught who Harry really was and soon they became friends as well. By the time the train reached Hogsmeade, Harry felt he had the three best friends anyone could wish for.

Their first glimpse of the castle from the boats awed Harry as much as anyone else. By the time the group of new first years had been treated to the customary "your house is your family" speech from McGonagall, Harry was wondering how much else they could be expected to take in in just one night. They were soon lead into the Great Hall and Harry's eyes travelled upward to the night sky above them - there was no roof! What if it rained?! Seeing Harry's reaction, Hermione leaned closer to him.

"There is a ceiling, it's just charmed to look like the night sky" she whispered. "It shows whatever the sky is, unless of course it's raining or something, then the drops don't actually fall."

"How do you know that?" he whispered back.

"Read about it in Hogwarts: a History, it's a great book."

"Can I borrow it sometime?"

Hermione's reply was cut off by a sharp voice calling out "Susan Bones!" She gave a last look to her friends as she approached the Sorting Hat. Just moments later it shouted "Hufflepuff!" and she walked towards her new house table.

After that, the remaining three watched the sorting until Hermione's name was called. She spent a long time under the hat before it shouted out "Gryffindor!" and she glared at it before walking over to the house table. A little later, Neville Longbottom was called up leaving Harry feeling slightly alone and more than slightly nervous, waiting by himself. The hat quickly decided on "Gryffindor!" for Neville, leaving him sighing in relief as he went to sit next to Hermione.

It seemed like an infinite wait before he heard his name be called out after that but on the call of "Harry Potter" the Hall went deadly silent. Harry wondered what would happen if he let out a tremendous sneeze or something right at that moment. He decided against it though, funny as it would be.

He chatted to the Hat for a solid five minutes before the Hat let out a thoughtful "hmmmmmm" causing the whole Great Hall to make a collective jump and Harry to smirk and mentally thank the Hat. They decided he was either a Slytherin or a Ravenclaw, which was slightly annoying because his friends were in the other two, but the Hat assured him it wouldn't make any difference in the long run. He enjoyed learning for learning's sake because he hadn't been able to for the first ten years of his life, but those same ten years had made Harry cunning and sly. After another minute of discussing the pros and cons of both houses, both were still indecisive.

Finally the Hat asked "do you want to change everyone's lives or just your own by coming here?"

"I just want to be me and have an easy life" Harry replied. The Hat cleared its brim loudly and shouted "Ravenclaw!"

Harry smiled and headed to the table of blue and bronze who were cheering extremely loudly. He noticed a peculiar expression on one of the teachers' faces, he assumed it was the Headmaster with that throne he was sitting on, and made a mental note to try and avoid having to meet with him until he was able to ask Griphook what it all meant.

The sorting continued but Harry heard very little of it. He was trying to field questions and get the hero-worship out of everybody's systems. Unfortunately the way that had worked on his friends wasn't working here. Also every time he had met someone so far he had had to go through the hero worship! He had had enough of it already and he hadn't even been around other wizards for a day! When the next person came up to him and asked to see his scar, he stood up very deliberately. The offending student back off quickly but Harry just climbed onto the table.

He didn't need to quieten the hall down, conversations ceased mid word and he had all eyes on him. Here goes, he thought.

"Hello! Yes, I'm Harry Potter. My parents were murdered by a wizard when I was one year old. I don't remember them at all. I have been told that I am only here now because my Mum died instead of me, because she bodily blocked the spell meant to kill me. That and that I look very similar to my Dad are all I know about them. I don't how it happened, why it happened or why you're all so keen to know about me, but since you are I'll tell you all this story so I stop having to repeat myself.

I grew up in Surrey, in a place called Little Whinging with my non magical aunt, uncle and cousin. I was taught to clean the house at the age of three, shoved out in the garden to pull up weeds and mow the lawn at four, and made to cook every meal before the age of five. I was not to intrude in their lives at all except to cook and clean. It was easier not to go to school because I always had to do worse than Dudley and be his personal punchbag. So I stayed at home, worked the list of chores my aunt left for me and if I finished them before she got back, I could have some free time before having to cook dinner.

I didn't know I was a wizard or that the magical world existed until I accidentally triggered a portkey a few months ago. The people I met taught me many things and they have changed my life completely.

That is my life story."

Harry sat down and started digging into the food that had appeared on his plate. Seeing all the looks he was getting from the Ravenclaws and the Hall as a whole, he sighed, picked up his plate and walked over to the Hufflepuff table.

"Can I sit here, Sus?" he asked. "At least then I might be able to hold a normal conversation whilst we eat."

"Ummmm fine by me Harry. Not sure if you're allowed though."

Harry shrugged. "If they ask I'll go then. You never finished that story about your aunt, elf and new home on the train, how did it end?"

The two chatted away as they ate. After a while one or two other Hufflepuffs tried to join in the conversation and slowly the others got drawn in as well. By the time they had finished pudding Harry felt that most of the new Hufflepuff first years at least had understood what it was he was trying to get at.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N** Get excited folks, I'm writing another chapter of Harry's Horses! I hope to have it out before the end of the week but no promises. Thankyou all for your patience with that one!

As for this one, here's chapter 5 for your perusal, including some Dumbledore action. Enjoy :)

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

"Mr Potter, could I have a word?" Dumbledore accosted Harry as he was leaving to rejoin the Ravenclaws going to the common room.

"If you wish sir. Would you be able to take me to my common room after though please? This castle seems awfully big and I don't want to get lost in a magic passageway or something."

"I will make sure you find your housemates Harry." Dumbledore smiled and clapped Harry on his shoulder. "Shall we go up to my office?"

"If you wish sir. But please could you tell me what it is I've done? I've barely even been in school four hours, and I haven't broken any school rules I don't think. I don't need anymore recognition thanks to this scar, so I'm struggling to see what you could want to talk with me about." Harry was all politeness on the surface, but in turmoil inside. He didn't know why he felt like that, but something about this man just annoyed him.

Dumbledore sighed. "I was hoping to discuss your rather unusual take on the Feast Harry. Perhaps we could continue this in my office?"

"Unusual sir? I told everyone what they wanted to know without having to repeat myself eight hundred times and then had dinner with my friend. I don't see anything unusual about that."

"That speech you gave was somewhat remarkable. How long did you spend working on it?" He chivvied Harry towards the door of the Great Hall as he spoke.

"I'm sorry sir I don't understand. Could you rephrase it for me please?"

"Certainly my boy. How long did you spend making up that story to tell the Great Hall?"

"Excuse me sir, story? The only story I told was the true one about my life. They were all asking so I told them how I grew up. I don't understand how it's such a hard concept to grasp, that I told them what they wanted to know."

Dumbledore was shocked speechless. Never before had any student had the nerve to mock him.

He became very stern. "Mr Potter, I shall overlook that unintended slight on this occasion. Do not let it happen again. Come to my office immediately after breakfast tomorrow. Ravenclaw Tower is to your left and up the stairs."

"Thankyou for the directions sir. Goodnight." Harry climbed the stairs, answered the riddle on the door correctly and flopped into bed. It had been a long day and he didn't know if he could hold his annoyance in much longer with how tired he was.

The following morning, Harry proceeded to start breakfast at the Ravenclaw table, but when noone tried to talk to him, although they were all looking at him, he picked his cereal bowl up and walked across the Hall.

"Morning Nev, morning Hermione" he greeted them. "How was your night last night?"

"Well everyone was talking about you and that speech. Really Harry you don't half make it easy for folks to find things to talk about!" Hermione started.

"Well it saved me dieing from boredom having to repeat the same thing eight hundred times even if it was a little... unorthodox shall we say. But people are going to remember it at least!"

"That is true Harry, but a lot of wizards don't like change. They don't like somebody challenging how they do things" Neville added in.

"Hermione, you know that book you mentioned? It doesn't have a copy of the school rules in it does it?" Harry asked.

"The only school rules ever written down were what the Hogwarts Charter was made from. Since then everything's just evolved and it's expected that everyone just knows" Neville commented.

"Ah. Thanks Nev. I know it's bad manners to leave whilst someone on your table is still eating, but I have a meeting scheduled for directly after breakfast that I should probably get along to if I don't want to be late for Charms. See you in Herbology later right?"

"See you Harry" Hermione and Neville said together.

Harry left the Great Hall and as soon as he was out of sight activated his portkey with the phrase "Headmaster's Office". He sat on a chair and waited for Dumbledore to arrive. Ten minutes passed. After fifteen he realised that he was going to miss his first class if he wasn't careful. When twenty minutes approached and still no sign of the Headmaster, Harry portkeyed out to his dorm and followed the stragglers towards the Charms classroom.

Charms was, in Harry's opinion, the best subject ever. The teacher was enthusiastic, obviously knowledgable and very encouraging. Harry was having trouble with the levitation charm though, it just didn't feel right. After a few tries he gave up with the incantation and after a couple of times thinking through the process of lifting the feather in his head, he waved his wand in an approximate motion of the given movement. The feather shot up into the air and hovered near the ceiling. Feeling a little embarrassed but yet somewhat smug that he could use his magic still in the way he had been doing before, he lowered the feather to the desk.

His happiness was short lived however when the Headmaster made his presence known. "I'm sorry Professor Flitwick but could I borrow Mr Potter for a moment?"

"Of course Professor Dumbledore, of course" the tiny Professor squeaked.

"Harry you will serve detention with me at seven tonight for not turning up to our meeting this morning" Dumbledore started sternly when they had left the room.

Harry stared at the Headmaster in shock. It was the Headmaster himself who wasn't there! He would take punishment if he had done wrong, but in this case he could see no reason why he would deserve it.

"I understand your words sir, but not your meaning. I left the Great Hall and waited for you in your office for nearly twenty minutes. Then I realised that Charms was about to start and I didn't want to be late sir, especially as it looked like you were not coming."

"I waited for you at the gargoyle entrance Mr Potter. You did not come. You will cease lying to me this instant. Where were you this morning?"

"I apologise sir" Harry said, eyes downcast. "You said to meet in your office, so I assumed that meant inside rather than outside. I apologise for misinterpreting your instructions. I shall know for next time."

Dumbledore stared at Harry and blinked hard before he guided him to a chair and bade him to sit. "Harry, I only want what's best for you. I want you to grow up to be a great wizard as I know you will be. I know it must be hard having lost your parents but there are others who can and will help you if only you let them."

"Believe me sir, I would do anything for a quiet life!"

"Good. Well I'm afraid your detention still stands, I will see you at seven in the Entrance Hall. We will walk up to my office together. Now I believe I have made you miss quite enough of your Charms class. Please give my apologies to Professor Flitwick."

The rest of the classes that day were much less exciting than Charms although they did miss the interruptions also. He was initially excited for Potions but when Snape started to pick on him and make fun of him, Harry realised that nothing he did would be good enough for him, so what was the point in trying? Herbology was good fun, but Harry got the distinct impression that Professor Sprout wanted to hug him at every conceivable opportunity. Transfiguration was an interesting subject but the Professor kept a far too close a watch on everyone so Harry couldn't try out everything he wanted to. Also, every time he caught the Professor looking at him, she looked sad and slightly guilty, whilst appearing to think that he was made of glass and could break at any moment.

Ravenclaws had Defence last thing on Mondays with the Hufflepuffs and although the content was interesting, the Professor had no charisma at all. The room smelled faintly of garlic, Harry could only make out one word in three that Quirrell was saying because of the stutter and every time Quirrell looked at him, Harry felt a sharp pain in his scar.

"I'm just going to get some paracetamol for this headache, I'll meet you in the Great Hall" Harry muttered as he and Susan left the classroom after the lesson.

"Oh Harry, that's no good. I'll come with you to the Hospital Wing. If what Auntie Amelia told me is right, you'll need the moral support!"

"My other school nurse was really nice. I'd fallen over and banged my knee hard on the gravel. She cleaned out everything from my knee and sat with me until I felt better."

"Madame Pomfrey is really nice too I've heard. She's just a bit protective of all her patients and doesn't like to release them from her care!"

"Well I could just go and get some tablets from my trunk. It's going now anyway and I've got this stupid meeting detention thing with Dumbledore later. Yeah I'll do that."

"No Harry, you should get it checked out. Headaches could mean something bad or so Auntie Amelia said."

"But really? It's just a headache. And not even a bad one."

"Well on your head be it."

"Yes it is in my head!" He stuck his tongue out at Susan and headed back downstairs to the Great Hall. By the time he had reached the Ravenclaw table, he had forgotten about it.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

At seven pm sharp Harry turned into the entrance hall to wait for the Headmaster. Dumbledore showed up a couple of minutes later and the two of them walked through the castle to the stone gargoyle that guarded the staircase to his office.

"Have you ever seen this before Harry?" Dumbledore asked, gesturing to the very bored looking creature.

"No sir" Harry replied honestly.

"I see. Sugar mice."

Harry gave a surprised jump when the gargoyle moved and looked around in awe as they stepped onto the moving spiral staircase.

"How does that work sir?" Harry asked.

"How does what work Mr Potter?"

"Your staircase. How does it move like that? And how do you train a gargoyle to move on certain commands?"

Dumbledore stared at Harry again. Really the boy did ask peculiar questions! "Magic" he said.

"There has to be more to it than that though, sir. Magic is such a broad topic. It can do nearly anything from what I've read, but yet wizards don't seem to use magic to anywhere near its full potential. Why don't the other teachers have gargoyles as well? Why do they have only paintings?" Harry asked in an eager voice.

"Harry I did not summon you here for a discussion on the theory of magic. Professor Flitwick or Professor McGonagall may be willing to help you, but detention is neither the time nor the place" Dumbledore replied, sitting down and gesturing for Harry to do the same. "Now I shall ask once more, where were you this morning?"

Harry sighed. "Sat in here sir. I waited for nearly twenty minutes whilst I watched the view outside."

"Twenty points from Ravenclaw. Mr Potter, I do not tolerate lying in my school. You cannot have been here, you said yourself that you have not seen the entrance before and I was next to that entrance before you had left the Great Hall. So where. Were. You?" Dumbledore leaned over his desk, his voice quiet but laced with magic.

How does he do that thing with his voice? That's cool! Harry thought to himself. Then he realised that he was expected to answer, but he didn't know what to say. He had said three times now where he was but the man didn't believe him. Should he lie and say he forgot to go to the meeting? But Dumbledore said he didn't tolerate lying. So the truth wasn't good enough and lying wasn't allowed. What could he do? As he began to panic, he felt his ring warm up - his ring! Griphook would know! Harry just hoped the goblin wasn't too busy at that minute.

"Gringotts" Harry whispered as he touched his ring. A second later he had vanished.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Lord Potter! To what do I owe the honour of your visit?" Griphook asked as he saw who was stood at his office door. "Your accounts are growing and the Potter Estate is becoming ever closer to its former glory."

"I, um, need some help. I was called to a meeting in Professor Dumbledore's office this morning, which he never turned up to. I portkeyed in from the Entrance Hall and waited there for twenty minutes until I had to leave for Charms. He then gave me detention for not turning up and keeps asking me where I was but when I tell him he just gets angry and tells me to stop lying. He even took twenty points off Ravenclaw for it. What am I meant to do?" He looked up at the goblin with scared, upset, childish eyes.

Griphook had got his emotions under control again by the time Harry had finished, but his thoughts were running haywire. A wizard, asking a goblin for life advice? A goblin, the being that Harry Potter runs to? He would be stripped of his post and accused of ensnaring his client if he wasn't careful it was that unusual.

"Lord Potter, does Dumbledore know of your portkey?" Griphook enquired.

"I don't believe so, sir."

"But you left straight from a meeting with him?"

"Yes sir."

"So it is suffice to say that he knows now. Have you ever heard of a pensieve Lord Potter?"

"No sir."

"A pensieve is where you and others can watch memories. Dumbledore is likely to have one. If you think of this morning from just before you went to his office to when you left it again, you will be able to remove it from your head to play in a pensieve. Imagine it being drawn from your mind into your hand and then slowly move your hand away from your face."

Harry managed it on the third try and he sighed in relief when he dropped it into the phial Griphook provided.

"Ooo that felt really slimy and weird. I don't want to do that again if I don't have to. Like I was trying to pull a really slimy, slippery, wiggly fish out of my head!"

Griphook stoppered and handed the phial to Harry who placed it on the table again before throwing his arms around the goblin.

"I knew you would help! Thankyou so much! I'm so sorry to interrupt you. If it cost you anything, please take it out of my vault and if your advice costs money, take that too. Uncle Vernon used to complain about how much "bloody lawyers" cost for a phone call" Harry mumbled into the goblin's shoulder.

"Our standard terms are 20 galleons for a client scheduled meeting and the phial was 3 sickles. However-"

"Please take it" Harry interrupted. "Anything and everything below say... one hundred galleons you don't need to ask about. If I owe you for a service or anything, please take it."

"As you wish Lord Potter. We shall be sure to keep you updated however."

"I appreciate that, thankyou. Now I should probably get back to Hogwarts. Thankyou Griphook for all your help."

Griphook nodded. "May your fortune flow and your enemies tremble at your name. Good evening Lord Potter."

Harry picked up the phial and headed back to the portkey point, leaving behind him a bemused goblin but unaware of in front of him an irate headmaster.


	6. Chapter 6

Harry portkeyed back into his dormitory, thankful there was nobody there. He had an inkling that Dumbledore wouldn't be too pleased with him after he had just gone and left, so he fell back on habit and stayed out of the way. Several times by interpreting his uncle's moods he had managed to avoid a cuff round the head. The following morning Harry saw a piece of parchment appear as soon as he woke up.

 _Harry,_

 _Come to my office immediately._

 _Professor Dumbledore_

"Oh alright, let's get this cleared up once and for all. Then I can get on with my life" Harry muttered to himself. He glanced around, checked he had the phial with his memory in and portkeyed out.

"Where did you go? How did you leave? Why did you leave?" Harry was bombarded with questions as soon as he arrived. As he took in his surroundings he realised that Dumbledore was holding him at wand point.

"May-may I speak freely sir?"

"Please do."

"Then please may you lower your wand sir? It's a little scary having it pointed at me." Harry was breathing fast and could feel his face heating up as he spoke. This was the Headmaster after all.

Dumbledore lowered his wand, but did not resheath it, Harry noticed. He did not want to test the old wizard's reflexes. He was sure they would still be lightning fast. As Dumbledore opened his mouth again, Harry interrupted.

"I went to someone I know for advice, I have a custom portkey and I was confused on how to answer your question" Harry stated simply.

"The wards don't allow portkeys except ones created by me Harry." Dumbledore started in a voice of false calm. "Tell me what you really did. I need to know for security."

Harry gave a frustrated sigh. "They don't block every type of portkey, sir" he said. A smirk crossed his features. "Griphook thought you would have guessed by now. Do you have a pensieve Professor?"

"What need would you have with my pensieve? And how are you in contact with Gringotts?" Dumbledore felt like he was no longer controlling this conversation. He was being out Slytherin-ed by a first year Ravenclaw who had only known of the wizarding world for a few months!

"You don't seem to be listening to me sir, so we thought the best way to solve this would be for you to watch my memory of yesterday morning, then you can judge me as much as you like."

"You doubt my judgement? You think I do not listen? I, who has been Headmaster since before your parents were born?" Dumbledore was showing his temper.

Harry let the words wash over him, for the first time thankful that his relatives had shouted at him so much in the past. It made situations like this a lot easier to deal with. It didn't mean he wasn't scared by the man in front of him, he wanted nothing more than to escape as quickly as possible. but he could think without becoming angry at his words. It gave him a peculiar kind of courage.

He took a deep breath. "Yes sir. I do."

Dumbledore gasped. "Fifty points from Ravenclaw. You will learn to respect your elders Mr Potter or you will find yourself in no end of trouble. Sit." Dumbledore was shaking with suppressed rage.

A quill and parchment appeared on the table from nowhere and Harry was amazed at how it was done. Magic could create things from nothing, it could float things, it could clean things, was there anything it couldn't do? Harry made a note to ask Professor Flitwick as soon as he could. Thinking of that Harry realised that he had already missed breakfast and the first lesson was about to begin. However seeing Dumbledore's face he decided it may not be a good point to bring up. Harry reminded himself again that the man in front of him was was the Headmaster, and Harry supposed that he could do whatever he wanted in the school.

"You will write [i]I will respect my elders and not tell lies[/i] eight hundred times. I am disappointed in you Harry, I knew your parents well."

"Well sorry sir, but I didn't. They died when I was one so I don't know how you can expect me to be like them" Harry shot back allowing his frustration to surface for a moment.

"Nine hundred times. Would you like me to make it a thousand?"

"No sir, sorry sir."

Harry left the Headmaster's office several hours later cradling his right hand and with a splitting headache. He realised he had missed lunch as well and he would have to hurry not to be late to Defence. He had not said a word whilst he remained in the Headmaster's office, but he resolved to ask Griphook later if he could do anything about it.

"Harry where have you been, I've been so worried!" Susan exclaimed as soon as she saw him.

"Dumbledore's office" Harry replied, dropping into the seat next to her and resting his head on his arms.

"For nearly five hours?"

"Yes. For five hours" Harry replied wearily.

Quirrell came in at that moment, abruptly ending the conversation. Harry sat up to listen to the lesson, but the first time he made eye contact with the professor he let out a gasp of pain and fainted, his head hitting the desk with an audible thud.

"Harry? Harry!" Susan shrieked. "Professor! Harry's fainted!"

There was a brief flash of red in the professor's hazel eyes, gone before anyone could really catch it.

"M-Miss B-bones?"

"Harry's fainted sir. He needs to see Madam Pomfrey sir."

"Very w-well M-Miss Bones you m-may take him."

"Professor? He's unconscious."

Quirrell pointed his wand at Harry. "Enervate" he said in a surprisingly steady voice.

Susan looked up in shock at the change in her Professor but quickly turned back at the sound of Harry groaning.

"Harry can you pack up your things?" she asked quietly.

Harry nodded but it made his head hurt so much more that he nearly passed out again. Seeing his distress, Susan quickly threw her own things in her bag before doing Harry's and helping him to his feet.

"Susan?" Harry croaked once they were outside the classroom. "Where are we going?"

"To the Hospital Wing Harry" she replied. "You fainted in class, remember?"

"Oh yeah, just need sleep though. Headache will go."

"No Harry. You fainted. You need to see Madam Pomfrey."

"Mr Potter, Miss Bones?" A sharp voice queried. "What are you doing out of class?"

"Harry fainted in Defence Professor" Susan replied. "I'm taking him to the Hospital Wing."

Harry looked up at the sound of a new voice. "Professor McGonagall?" he asked, wincing at the pain that moving caused.

His eyes looked dull, he was wincing at every movement and he was cradling his right hand with his left. What was Quirrinus teaching? she wondered.

"It was a practical Defence lesson I take it?" she queried.

"No Professor. Harry came in looking like this but just as Professor Quirrell started talking Harry fainted. Professor Quirrell woke him up and then carried on with his lesson."

"You were correct to bring him to Madam Pomfrey, Miss Bones. Ten points to Hufflepuff. Now let's get him seen to."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When the gong went for dinner that night, Harry reached to his bedpost for his robe to find his arm in a sling and his robe not there. Looking around him, he saw that the room was white, rather than blue and bronze. Oh yeah, Hospital Wing. He managed to locate his glasses and found his robe on a nearby chair. Shrugging out of the sling he put on his robe and headed to the door. The Hospital Wing was on the fourth floor, so if he kept going down, he'd hit the Entrance Hall eventually.

"Mr Potter, where do you think you're going?"

"To dinner ma'am" Harry replied.

"I think not. You were brought in barely conscious, having fainted in class. Bed."

Sighing, Harry obeyed. Was this another type of punishment from Dumbledore? Pomfrey banished Harry's robes out of sight and waved her wand over him.

"When you were brought in Mr Potter, you looked as if you had been in a fight. What happened?"

"Nothing ma'am."

"Right. I believe that as much my name's Nicholas Flamel. Did someone do this to you?"

"No ma'am." Harry wasn't going to tell tales on Dumbledore. That would create the opposite of easy life.

"It's obvious something has happened and I can't release you without knowing it's not going to happen again."

"It won't ma'am."

"Right, because concussion and repetitive strain injuries just happen of their own accord do they?"

Harry stayed silent. He wanted to have dinner with his friends, but he was not going to tell tales on the Headmaster. That would be even worse than this.

"You're protecting someone. Let me make sure they never do this to you or anyone else again."

The Healer's voice was strong and passionate and Harry found himself wanting to tell her. She was the first human adult who cared for him, who wanted to help him. He told himself that he could look after himself, that he had been doing just that for eight years, but there was always that little piece of him who wondered just what it would be like to have a family, to have parents, to be a child all the time rather than some strange hybrid of a child and saviour.

"You-you can't" he stuttered.

"Believe me Mr Potter I can. Students' safety and wellbeing is my utmost concern."

"You sound like him" Harry muttered. Then louder he added "may I go to dinner now? I want to see my friends."

"I sound like whom?" The healer had caught the comment.

"No-one ma'am. May I go now?"

"No you may not. I shall order your dinner up here and your friends may come for half an hour later. I will release you for breakfast if you are fit."

After seeing to her patient, Pomfrey went back into her office and thought through that entire conversation. She sounded like someone when she mentioned safety. Severus would not be so obvious with his words which left only Albus. Albus had done that to the child? What had happened there?


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N** Well that last chapter got a lot of opinion in the reviews! This story is written almost entirely from Harry's POV so no Pomfrey flaying Albus written I'm afraid. It would have happened though, let's face it, Pomfrey is just like that. As for those of you that said Harry should leave Hogwarts, I think you'll enjoy this chapter. Harry is only eleven and he's not superpowered he just says/does stuff as it is and takes advice when he needs it.

I hope you enjoy the chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

After he was released from the Hospital Wing, Harry fell back into doing what he did best - taking the path of least pain. He avoided Dumbledore as best he could and completely skipped Defense and History of Magic lessons. He was often found in the library or in Professor Flitwick's office during these sessions but regardless of the number of detentions he got or points he lost no-one could convince him it would be better to return. Harry would nearly always recover the points he lost from not turning up to Defence by his hard work in Transfiguration or Charms. He wanted to learn magic and he wanted to be able to do magic, but neither Defence nor History lessons were teaching him anything. Harry certainly loved magic but he didn't think much of the magical world so far.

On Halloween night Harry went into the Great Hall looking for his three friends. They were all going to have dinner together tonight at the Hufflepuff table - the most accommodating table by far. Susan and Neville were easy to find but Hermione wasn't there. They waited and waited but she still didn't turn up.

"Anyone seen Hermione?" Harry asked, adding food to his plate and creating a sandwich.

"Nope" came the answer from his friends.

"We'll go and look for her after the feast" Susan said, noticing Harry's worried expression. "Or tell someone at any rate. She might have just gone back to the dorm or to the loo or something."

"Yeah that sounds like a good plan Harry. I'll tell McGonagall after we've eaten" Neville added.

"Okay, as soon as this finishes" Harry agreed. He didn't want to drag his friends away from the feast they'd all looked forward to, but he was worried about Hermione. He'd said he would always be there for her, what if she got hurt? What if she needed him and he wasn't there?

His anxiety grew throughout the meal and when Quirrell came in screaming about a troll his control snapped.

"I'm going to find Hermione" he stated. "I've got a bad feeling. You can come or go back to the dorms with everyone else, but I'm going now."

As Harry tapped his ring with his finger, Neville put his hand on his friend's shoulder to ask him how he planned on finding her. The next thing he heard was Harry saying "Hermione Granger" and feeling a sharp tug in his stomach.

"Hermione?" Harry called out as soon as he landed. "Are you alright?"

As he was shouting, he noticed that something smelled badly wrong. He didn't know what could make such a gagging smell, but whatever it was couldn't be good.

"Harry!" Hermione's shout came from behind him. He spun round and saw the owner of the smell - a twelve foot mountain troll with a raised club.

"Hermione, move!" Harry yelled. "It's going to hit you!"

Harry still couldn't see his friend, but he heard a squeak and a hurried shuffle, before the troll brought its club down, smashing everything in its path.

Harry heard a shriek and everything he'd ever thought about staying safe went out of the window. His friend was injured, he wasn't going to wait for help, the easiest way, not to mention the quickest would be to do it himself. He spotted Neville next to the door.

"Neville!" he yelled. "Hermione's hurt. Help me!"

"What can I do?"

"Imagine all of this mess lifting off the floor! Not hovering in the air, but actually lifting."

"Why?" Neville asked.

Harry didn't answer. His eyes were screwed tightly shut. Miraculously however, some of the debris was starting to rise up.

Neville looked in awe before he realised Harry had asked him to help. He glanced over to Harry and found the troll about to strike again.

"Harry duck!" Neville yelled. Harry's drop and roll made Neville wonder what Harry had done in his childhood to have reflexes like that. The troll must have missed him by centimetres.

"Neville! Imagine. Please!" Harry yelled as he ducked under the troll again. "I can't do both much longer!"

Neville had a fleeting wish that the troll would freeze as he tried to concentrate on the debris. Each noise Harry made killed his concentration so if the bloody troll would stop attacking him then he might be able to help.

Suddenly all the noise stopped and for a fraction of a second there was silence. Then Harry let out a big breath.

"Bloody hell Nev, you froze a troll!"

Both boys looked on in complete shock before a they heard a whimper and snapped back to attention. A minute or so later all the debris was floating and Harry ran under it to a battered and barely conscious Hermione.

"Grab onto me" Harry ordered. "Gringotts."

"I need a Healer!" Harry shouted when he landed. Somehow it sounded different but he didn't have time to ponder that now. Hermione needed help.

"Lord Potter?"

Harry saw Griphook walking towards him and knew he was safe. They would all be safe. He felt the adrenaline flow from his body and just managed to utter out "Injured need Healer" before he collapsed, leaving a very confused Neville and goblin.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry didn't open his eyes but he let his other senses wander, specifically his hearing.

"What are _they_ doing _here_?" The voice was low and there was some sort of strange guttural accent that Harry couldn't place but he could still make out the words. "You know I will treat any beast or being you bring me Griphook, but wizards in a Goblin facility is pushing it. You'd best hope you meet no-one or that the Director is in a benevolent mood until you get these three out of here."

"I heard a goblin yell for a Healer and then as I approached, Lord Potter said only three words before collapsing. Two of the three were obviously injured and the third extremely confused. What would you have me do instead?"

Harry almost jumped. That sounded like Griphook and yet it didn't. Griphook had no accent like that. He mused on this so much he missed the start of what the other goblin said.

"...like to be in your position when the Director finds out."

"Lord Potter has never asked for any favours from a goblin. He pays instantly in gold for everything. I merely treat him with the respect that deserves."

"Griphook you are walking a very fine line. If you are caught consorting with wizards and degrading goblin values..." As the goblin trailed off, Harry made up his mind. He wasn't going to let Griphook be punished for him barging in.

"It's alright. We're going" Harry said as he stood up and opened his eyes simultaneously. Neville and Hermione stared at him in clear shock, confusing Harry. Hadn't they heard the conversation? "Take whatever I owe you for all three of us from my vault."

Harry walked briskly towards the door, throwing glances behind him for his friends to hurry up. However as he reached the door, he found it locked. Scowling, he grabbed hold of his friends and touched his ring.

"Home."

Nothing happened. Harry looked in clear disbelief at the goblins before repeating himself to the same effect.

"Goblin portkeys do not work inside the hospital" the goblin stood next to Griphook said with a hint of a snarl.

"People would always be using them to get out if they did, wouldn't they" Harry said resignedly.

Griphook smirked. "Indeed Lord Potter."

"So what other ways of us getting out of here undetected are there? I don't want you or Griphook in trouble and it would be easiest if we just vanished."

Griphook's forehead furrowed in confusion for a moment before something dawned on him and he looked curiously at Harry.

"Lord Potter forgive this question but why did you come here?" he asked in Gobbledegook.

"Because I trust you more than anyone at Hogwarts" Harry replied in the same tongue.

"Harry!" Neville and Hermione screamed together.

"What?"

"You just... You just... You just spoke Gobbledegook!" Neville spluttered out in awe.

"You overheard our conversation" Griphook stated.

"I'm sorry sir."

"Wizards do not normally care about the wellbeing of goblins, Lord Potter, and goblins do not care about the wellbeing of wizards. Remember that."

"Yes sir."

"You cannot come here again. It is too dangerous. To lose the Potter fortune at this stage would be tragedy."

"Okay, sorry sir."

Griphook stared at Harry before turning to the goblin at his side. "They are fit to go?"

"Yes but Lord Potter may be tired and sore for a few days. How do you plan on managing to get them out?"

"By you playing interference."

The grins the goblins gave boded trouble.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N** For those of you thinking that Harry's still stuck in a bad situation, I can assure you it gets better if you'll stick with me! This chapter sees Harry question some of his choices. Why hasn't he left Hogwarts already? Because he has magical friends there, he enjoys learning magic and he's not thought about it. The next few chapters deal with the aftermath of the troll and the consequences of some decisions. I hope you'll stay through to the end!

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

They portkeyed back into a room close to Gryffindor Tower. The aim was to get Neville and Hermione into their common room as if they had always been there and then Harry would portkey out to his dorm. Harry had no desire to be summoned to Dumbledore right now and he was sure the others felt the same. The corridor was empty and as they hurried through it, Harry started to hope that their crazy plan might have just worked. Unfortunately as they reached the Portrait of the Fat Lady and said goodbye to each other they were caught.

"Just where have you three been? The whole castle has been searching for you and Professor Sprout has spent hours consoling a distraught Miss Bones, whose friends had all vanished! Well?" The scottish brogue of Professor McGonagall sounded angry, upset and relieved all at once.

Harry gave a deep sigh and turned around. "I was worried about Hermione, Professor because she didn't turn up to the Halloween feast. Neville and I went to see if she was alright."

"The staff have been searching this castle for six hours for you three Mr Potter and you have the nerve to say you went to see a friend. If you were so concerned for Miss Granger's welfare why didn't you tell Professor Flitwick or myself?"

"We planned to if she didn't turn up at all for the feast, but then that troll came and I couldn't wait any longer." Harry let out a huge yawn and a slight wince.

"Excuse me P-Professor McGonagall but might we- might we go to bed?" Neville stuttered out. He had never spoken out of turn before but seeing Harry obviously hurting and yet still taking all of the onslaught from the Deputy Headmistress gave Neville a boldness he didn't know he had. "It's really late and that troll tired us all out."

A slight gasp made Neville realise he'd said something he maybe shouldn't have done.

"That. Troll." Professor McGonagall repeated. "THAT troll? Do you have any idea what could have happened to you? Do you have any idea what trolls are capable of?"

"Considering we watched it tear down half that bathroom with one strike before targeting us, I'd say yes to both of those questions" Harry replied quickly, hoping to prevent a full blown rant. He'd recognised the signs from his days in Surrey. Being able to read his uncle's expressions was a must in that environment.

McGonagall was stunned speechless for a moment. "You what Mr Potter? Are you hurt? When we got there the entire bathroom was rubble and it was stomping around in a furious rage! It took six professors to bring it down and two were injured by it! What did you think you could do?"

"I DIDN'T GO TO FIGHT THE TROLL. I DON'T HAVE A DEATH WISH!" Harry suddenly yelled. "I went to see if Hermione was alright, and it just happened that she was in the same place as the troll was! A minute later and Hermione would likely have been clubbed by a troll or knocked out by bits of flying sink!" He took a deep breath, winced at the tightness in his chest and continued. "As it happens, we're all safe, but we've had one hell of an evening and I for one would really like to get some sleep." He gave another yawn to emphasise his point but couldn't keep the grimace from his face entirely.

When McGonagall opened her mouth to reply, Harry could see that she was going to ask another question or start on at him about something else.

"Professor, I don't mean to be rude, but I'm going to bed in the next minute whether you let me or not. I won't last much longer than that and I do not wish to wake up in the Hospital Wing tomorrow."

There was silence for a few seconds as McGonagall stared at Harry. "Very well. I want to see the three of you in my office at midday. Mr Longbottom, Miss Granger good night. Potter I shall walk you to Ravenclaw Tower; it is significantly after curfew after all."

"No need Professor, but thankyou."

"Potter, you are not permitted walk the halls alone at night."

"Alright if you must. Night Hermione, night Nev."

As they walked Harry felt himself failing. He needed a bed. Quickly.

"Harry? What's wrong?" McGonagall asked as she saw him lagging behind.

"Nothing. I'm just tired and a little sore."

"If it really is nothing Potter then explain to me why you wince every time you take a deep breath and you are unable to walk in a straight line."

"I don't know Professor. I was just told I would be tired and sore for a few days."

"Who told you?"

"I'm not that stupid, even on the point of collapse. You'll just tell Dumbledore and they'd get into trouble. Now I thank you for the escort Professor but I am about to fall over, so I'm going to go now. Home." He had vanished before the scottish witch had worked out what he'd said.

"Harry? Harry?!" McGonagall called. No response. Entirely flustered she cast spell detection and residue revealing charms which came up blank. Suddenly she remembered all of the blood on the floor under the rubble in that bathroom and swore quietly. They needed to find Harry Potter, and soon.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry slept through all of the following day and night. When he did finally awaken he realised that his chest felt much better than it had done before. The tightness was still there, but it was much weaker now, so much so that he could practically ignore it. It took him a minute to realise that he was at home in Wales, not in Hogwarts and suddenly all the memories came flooding back.

Now he had a clear mind he could think properly. If such a creature as a troll could get into the school, what else could? If Dumbledore was so insistent that he be told Harry's every move for security, did he know about the troll? If he did know, then why didn't he stop it? If he didn't know, then what else could he "not know" about?

In half a term he had already managed to get repetitive strain injury from an unearned detention with the Headmaster, concussion from the Defence teacher looking at him, a combination of people wanting either his autograph or his head and now had had to face a troll to save his friend. Looking at it like that, Harry wasn't sure he wanted to stay in Hogwarts - he'd kept himself alive and reasonably healthy this long against the odds but he didn't know how long his luck would hold out. At this rate he was unlikely to make it until the end of term, let alone seven years.

Deciding to ask Professor Flitwick's advice later, and to ask if he could teach him privately anyway, he stretched and got out of bed to start his day. Proper breakfast was on the menu this morning, perhaps there were even hash browns in the kitchen.

Some hours later, when he knocked on his Head of House's office and was admitted, he found a very anxious Professor McGonagall also in there. She looked as if she had been crying, Harry thought.

"Harry! Oh my goodness! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Professor thankyou. How are you?" Harry replied pleasantly.

"How am I? Better for seeing you my dear! I'll leave you with Professor Flitwick and come back later."

She swept out of the room and Harry turned to Flitwick with confusion clearly written on his face.

"There was a lot of blood under the rubble in that bathroom; she has probably gone to fetch Madam Pomfrey."

"There was? Oh. Must have not been quick enough one time then." Harry shrugged.

"What did you want to see me about Harry?"

"Some advice, sir. I don't think Griphook would appreciate another visit so soon."

"Do you know I'm half goblin Harry?"

"You are? That's great sir, I love goblins." Harry's smile was huge. "Errrrrr... How much do you know about me?" he added seriously.

"Enough Lord Potter. I keep in touch with my goblin heritage and it was the only thing Griphook could talk about."

"So you know Griphook?"

"I do. He and I are second cousins."

"That's great sir! So I can come to you about anything?"

"As your Head of House, Harry you can ask me anything you want. I promise I will give you a truthful answer if I can."

"Thanks sir. So if I wanted to leave Hogwarts would you help me?"

Flitwick was taken aback, what had gone on to make Harry consider that?

"Why do you ask that Harry?"

"Because I don't feel safe here sir and I don't want my luck to run out."

Flitwick was horrified. "Why don't you feel safe?"

Harry described his experiences of the magical world, and how he really wanted to learn magic but the goblins were the only ones who had treated him as he was. He went on to describe his time at Hogwarts so far and had just reached the Halloween Feast when the fire turned green and two people stepped out of it.

"Ah!" Harry squealed, jumping back in surprise and fear. "They just came out of the fire!" He turned to Flitwick with terrified eyes.

"It's just the floo Harry. Wizards use it to get to places quickly."

"They don't get burned?" Harry asked, now staring at the fire in shock. It looked very fire-y to him.

"No Harry, it just tickles. I'll show you later on, but I imagine these two ladies would like a word with you. Would you like some privacy?"

"No sir, please stay" Harry babbled. "I mean, if that's alright?"

Flitwick smiled at walked over to Harry. "Of course it is."

"Mr Potter, how do you feel?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"Fine" Harry answered. At the glare he amended "a little tight in my chest but it's nothing."

A wand was suddenly pointed at him and waved. "You've been given blood replenishment potions" the Healer stated in slight surprise.

"Well obviously, otherwise how do you think he is still standing up" Flitwick cut in sarcastically. "We all saw the amount of blood on that floor."

The mediwitch glared down at the half-goblin who was entirely unfazed by it. "I would like to do a full scan to ensure nothing untoward has happened. I will take Mr Potter back with me to the Hospital Wing."

"And you are not going to ask him? Really Poppy, can't you see he's terrified?"

"Wh-"

"Yes Harry?" Flitwick prompted. "Did you want to say something?"

"What's Professor McGonagall doing here?" Harry whispered.

"You don't want her to stay?" Flitwick whispered back. Harry shook his head. "OK."

"Minerva, I apologise for this request but could we have some privacy?"

A look of clear shock passed over the face of the Scottish witch. She looked from Harry to Flitwick and back again, causing Harry to shrink back even more and hide, as best he could, behind his Head of House.

"I'm worried about him. I'd like to make sure he's alright" she said.

"Please, Minerva. Harry has been through a lot and he's frightened. He is only eleven. I shall make sure you are told of everything."

Because of Harry being behind him, the Charms professor didn't notice Harry grab onto his and Pomfrey's robes. Just as he saw Minerva give in, he felt the tug of a portkey.

Safe at home in his room Harry turned to the two adults.

"Don't worry about it, I'm used to looking after myself. Do what you want, but I'm going to sleep" he said.

He was asleep almost the instant he lay down, leaving Flitwick and Pomfrey in a strange house, incredibly confused.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"Filius do you have any idea where we are?" Poppy queried.

"I believe this is Harry's bedroom at his home" Flitwick replied, looking around him. "It certainly looks like it and he brought us here."

There were a thousand questions buzzing around in Poppy's head, but yet the tiny man next to her appeared to be completely unfazed and if anything, slightly impressed. He knew more than he was telling, Poppy was sure of it.

"What's going on? Why are we here? What do you know that I don't?"

Flitwick turned around and smirked at the glare on the mediwitch's face. It would get answers out of any student, but he was half-goblin and after seeing a goblin glare, anything else was ineffective.

"I forgot how perceptive you can be Poppy" he said, chuckling lightly. "I have no facts but if my suspicions are true, then Harry has been in safe hands."

The glare deepened but Flitwick continued to ignore it. "And I suppose that is all you are going to tell me? How am I meant to treat him when I don't have all of the information?"

"There won't be anything to treat, Poppy. Go ahead and check if you like." Flitwick's face was alight with amusement. "Of course, you could always ask Harry. He likes it when people talk to him rather than over him."

Poppy huffed at the nerve of her colleague and went to check on Harry. As predicted she found no acute damage, and only the blood replenishment potions she had seen earlier were affecting his internal system.

"You don't need that much blood replenishment for nothing Filius. What happened?"

"I cannot tell you, for I do not know" Flitwick replied with a chuckle.

"But you suspect..."

"Oh yes, but acting on suspicions is not always the best course of action. In this case, action would not even be required."

Poppy glared at him again. "Does it not bother you that this is a child's health you're playing with?" she asked.

"I'm not playing with it. I know he'll be fine. You're the one stressing out about not knowing everything. It's not mine to tell and Harry will likely tell you if and when you ask him" Flitwick replied calmly.

"But he's only eleven. How could he know what's best for him?"

"He's still alive."

"What?!"

The Healer looked completely aghast before casting a complicated spell over the boy in the bed. Taking the parchment produced she read over it carefully. Flitwick had to stifle his laughter at the confusion on her face when she got to the bottom.

"There's nothing untoward on here, Filius. Except for a large gash to his abdomen, which I assume was created by that troll, and some injuries which I treated earlier in the term his medical history is normal."

"And that my dear Poppy is precisely my point." He walked towards the door chuckling to himself. "Come on, I'm sure Harry won't mind if we use his kitchen to make us all some late lunch. At least we can both agree that sleep is a good thing for him, and we'll have food for when he wakes."

Poppy sighed as she followed Flitwick out. She had no idea why he found it so funny, but she knew he was fiercely protective of his house. If he wasn't worried, then it couldn't be that bad.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry awoke a short while later to the smell of cooking. Recognising his room in Wales, he remembered the meeting that led him here along with two members of staff. Oh god he was going to be in so much trouble for kidnapping them!

As he sat thinking about what he should do now, the door to his room opened and Flitwick came in, levitating two bowls of soup.

"Good to see you up Harry" he said. "I hope you don't mind that I made lunch?"

"Not at all sir. Could you use the kitchen and everything alright? I'm very sorry about leaving with you like that."

"It's not a problem Harry, not at all."

They ate in silence for a minute or so until Flitwick voiced his first question.

"Harry, could you tell me what happened during the Halloween Feast?"

Harry was quiet for a minute. "Alright, but you can't tell Professor Dumbledore" he said eventually.

"Why not?" Flitwick had a pretty good idea of the answer to that question but he wanted to hear it from Harry.

"I don't trust him. I think he's trying to use me for something."

Flitwick sighed. "I give you my word Harry that the Headmaster will not find out anything from me that you don't wish him to."

"Thanks." Harry continued his story from where he had left off and told it up to entering his Head of House's office earlier that day. "I don't think I can stay at Hogwarts any more sir" he ended.

"I will be sorry to see you go, but I will support you if you truly want to. Now eat up the rest of your soup or Madame Pomfrey will flay me alive."

"Where is Madame Pomfrey Professor?" Harry asked.

"I imagine she is still in the kitchen. Although I expected her to be here by now."

Harry couldn't think of any response to that so continued to eat in silence.

"Professor?" Harry asked when he had finished.

"Yes Harry?"

"You like charms right? Or else I mean you wouldn't be the charms professor."

Flitwick chuckled. "Yes Harry, I like charms. I like all the areas of magic really but everything boils down to charms in the end so I focus on that."

"What is magic Professor? I mean at Hogwarts we get taught to use wands, but goblins and elves manage very well without them. I've heard of wandless magic, but from what I've read it's only really powerful wizards that can use it. Goblins and elves don't need wands, why do we?"

"That's a very intelligent question Harry. What it comes down to is how magic works. Magic is all about intent. Most wizards find that the wand movements and words shape their intent to what they want. Without them, most wizards find that they just can't "tell" their magic what to do."

"So wandless magic is possible by anyone? You just need to know how to shape your magic?"

"That is correct Harry. Where did you get such a thirst for magical theory from?"

"I want to learn everything about magic sir. I think it's great. I just don't like being famous. Can you keep another secret? I really want to show this to someone."

"Of course Harry." Flitwick was intrigued by the excited look on Harry's face.

Harry focussed on the chair that Flitwick was sitting on and the half-goblin suddenly found himself rising up in the air. He gave out a slight squeak as he realised quite how high he was.

"Er Harry? Could you bring me down again please?"

Harry's eyes snapped up to the voice to find the chair he was hovering was three quarters of the way to the ceiling!

"I'm so sorry Professor! I must have concentrated too hard!"

He brought the chair back down and began to apologise again.

"Harry stop apologising. That was one of the smoothest levitations I've ever felt. Why do you have so much trouble in class if you can do things like that?"

"I don't know sir. It just doesn't click when I use my wand. I taught myself to do magic like that after I had a few occurrences of things happening when I got angry."

Flitwick conjured a feather. "Levitate that for me" he said, carefully watching Harry's face.

The feather shot up, bounced off the ceiling and fluttered down. Harry looked at the professor in a combination of horror, fear and shock.

"Don't worry Harry. We can sort it. I can teach you how to control it, don't worry. How do you tell your magic what to do when you do that?"

"Sir?"

"You know earlier we said that you needed to shape your intent to get your magic to do what you want it to?" Harry nodded. "How do you shape your intent? How does your magic know what to do?" Flitwick explained.

"Like, what am I thinking of when I do stuff like that?"

"Yes."

"I imagine it happening. The more detail I imagine, the better it seems to work. It doesn't work if I just imagine it done though. It works for other people too! Neville and I levitated all of the stuff off Hermione after he froze the troll."

Flitwick was momentarily stunned. "Mr Longbottom is a natural wandless as well? Well that would certainly explain a few things..."

"Sorry sir, but what's a natural wandless?"

Flitwick's focus shot back to the boy at that question.

"As the name suggests Harry, a natural wandless is a wizard with a natural skill for wandless magic. They are more in tune with their magic than other wizards and because of this, they find wands more of a hindrance than a help. They can perform what is often thought of as extraordinary magic, but to them they see no other way of being. You two both being natural wandless could explain why you appear to struggle so much when your parents were so strong."

"You knew my parents? What were they like?" Harry asked excitedly.

The half-goblin cringed. No child should ever be asking that to a teacher.

"Neither were in my house, but your mum was gifted in charms. She apprenticed for her mastery under me during her sixth and seventh years. She was a wonderful girl and an absolute delight to know but she had one habit I could not break her out of - she would always scratch her nose with her wand whenever she was thinking through something particularly difficult. I tried all sorts to get her to stop, from not allowing her her wand to hexing her nose whenever she did it. She did stop at one point, but then she hit a block in her work. She just could not seem to get the sparks of inspiration without it!"

"Lily told me those stories quite often!" A voice sounded from the doorway. "She particularly enjoyed the one where you turned her nose into a pig snout that oinked whenever she touched it with her wand. She could have undone nearly all of them but I think she liked them!"

Both boys turned to look at the doorway when Poppy started speaking. As she spoke, she came and sat down beside them.

"Professor Flitwick can tell you lots of stories of your mum Harry. He loves telling them as well, so don't be shy about asking."

"Ok thanks. Sorry for dragging you here" Harry replied. "Do you want me to take you back?"

"I'm in no rush Harry. We both need a bit of excitement in our lives sometimes!" The Healer smiled. "I assume you are in contact with the goblins since only a goblin portkey could get through Hogwarts wards?"

Harry slowly nodded.

"And you know that you are, in fact, Lord Harry?"

Flitwick snorted. "Come on Poppy! Give the goblins more credit than that! Harry uses a custom goblin portkey, a perceptive woman like you should be able to tell that that requires a relationship between Harry and them. Goblins will give out the amount of respect they feel that their client deserves. Griphook scarcely speaks of anything but Lord Potter nowadays!"

"I don't know much about money but Mr Griphook's a banker. I asked him if he could look after my money for me until I want to do anything with it. I just want to survive the year and have a good time with my friends. If I buy anything anywhere else then I pay for it, why would the goblins be any different?"

Poppy stared whilst Flitwick smiled at Harry's childish view of the world. Of course everything would be straightforward to an eleven year old. Especially if, as he thought, Harry's first contact with them was when he received his Lordship. He wouldn't have seen any of the goblin prejudice on the main floor. Flitwick wondered if the goblins had been Harry's first introduction to the wizarding world even.

"Why indeed Harry. You will get on very well with the goblins I think, even as you grow older. Now would you care to tell us about your life pre-Hogwarts? I'm sure both Madame Pomfrey and myself would be interested in knowing how you came to live here, apparently on your own."

So, whilst watching the sunset through his window, Harry did.


	10. Chapter 10

Madam Pomfrey demanded that Harry rested after his experience with the troll. Between her, Harry and Professor Flitwick they decided that the best place to achieve that would be at his house. If he went back to Hogwarts he would have to be confined to the Hospital Wing, whereas at home he could have the run of the house provided he didn't do too much. About four days after the incident Harry decided to go back to Hogwarts to pick up his possessions. Charms was the only subject he truly enjoyed in Hogwarts and he was sure that Griphook or Professor Flitwick could find him teachers if he asked. He was incredibly sad to be leaving his friends behind but he was sure that they would still be able to visit him, like they had been doing this week. He portkeyed into his dorm during the middle of the night, managed to wake no-one up shockingly, shrunk and pocketed his belongings and left again.

To the rest of Hogwarts, Harry was in the Hospital Wing with no visitors allowed. Poppy was very stringent about enforcing this no-visitor policy and not even the Headmaster could convince her to let him in to see Harry. Harry was supposedly suffering from blood loss and magical exhaustion (which wasn't too far from the truth) and only uninterrupted natural sleep would be the most effective healing. Harry chuckled when Poppy told him that. It seemed like Poppy and Flitwick were enjoying themselves.

Unfortunately the following day, when it was found out that Harry's possessions had vanished, the school was in uproar. The boy hadn't been seen by anyone except the school nurse for five days and now somehow his possessions had gone. This culminated in five Ministry Aurors, their scarlet robes swishing with authority, striding into the Hospital Wing demanding to see Harry Potter. When Poppy denied them, a dark skinned auror reached into his robes and pulled out a thick wadge of parchment.

"This here is a warrant to search the entire Hospital Wing and if necessary the rest of Hogwarts Castle to find one Harry James Potter" the deep booming voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt said. "We also have a warrant to arrest any individuals trying to impede this search so I would suggest, Madam Pomfrey, that you stand aside and let us get on with our jobs."

Poppy anxiously twisted a ring she wore before she reluctantly stood aside. She had no idea if Filius was with Harry or even if he had received her signal, but if not then she was going to explain everything to these people, Dumbledore be damned.

"Very well I can see I have no choice. If you will follow me, I will take you to him. I must stress that you make no noise as unplanned awakenings are the worst thing for an exhaustion patient to be subjected to. Due to the severity of his condition, there must also be no magic cast in his presence. Do I make myself quite clear?"

There was a flurry of nods. "Let me just add that I know Director Bones very well and if any of you cause any harm to my patient, she will be informed of this. Director Bones takes any bad performance by her team as a personal insult to her. The unfortunate member is not often given a chance to do it a second time. Understood? Do not agitate my patient. No noise, no magic."

Poppy hoped that by now, she had given Filius and Harry enough time to prepare themselves. She started walking slowly away from the Hospital Wing, beckoning the aurors to follow. After several minutes Poppy held up her hand to stop the group and motioned everyone to be silent. With a gentle twist she opened the door to reveal a sleeping raven haired boy.

Harry looked every inch as ill as he was supposed to be. He was pale and looking swamped in the bed whilst various machines were attached to him. They all gave different numbers or lines but not one made a sound. The silence in the room was deafening and one by one the aurors started to leave. Poppy walked with them back to the main hospital wing.

"So are you happy now you have seen him? Can I go back to _my_ job now?"

"Do you know what happened to Mister Potter's belongings?" Kingsley asked, his dicta-quill hovering in mid air next to him.

"Why should I be concerned about his belongings? Professor Flitwick has probably removed them to make sure no harm comes to them whilst Harry is recovering. Now are you quite finished?"

The lead auror had the grace to look somewhat embarrassed. "Yes I believe that was it. Thankyou for your time Madam Pomfrey. Good afternoon."

After seeing the aurors out Poppy went back to Harry's room, where she found him sitting up in the bed and grinning. "That was awesome!" he said.

"For you perhaps Harry. I was nearly wetting myself in fear that you wouldn't be here!" Poppy replied. "Facing down an on duty Kingsley Shacklebolt I can do without!" She ruffled his hair before she spoke again. "You are going to have to tell people something Harry, you just need to decide how much you want to give them."

A head suddenly appeared, quickly followed by the rest of Professor Flitwick. He tucked the invisibility cloak under his arm before he addressed Harry.

"We can phrase it as "Harry Potter's legal guardians said..." " he said. "Technically since you are a Lord, that's you. You make your own decisions. But you do need to tell people that you are leaving. People will also want to know why. It is your choice whether you tell them or not. We can say that Madame Pomfrey released you to recover at home and your relatives will get all the press to deal with, whilst you get left in peace!"

"Tell me why I got involved with this hairbrained scheme of yours again?" Poppy asked with a chuckle and a slight shake of her head.

"I tell you who would love this story Harry - Griphook. It is a plan almost worthy of a goblin. Make sure you tell him about it and ask his advice. He knows how to deal with the press, Griphook does."

"Thanks Professor. Will you still teach me wandless magic?"

"One thing at a time Harry. But yes, I will help you control your magic."

"OK, so I can go to school at home with my friends?"

"We'll sort something out Harry, now portkey out before you alert the whole castle that you're not asleep!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It took only two days to get everything sorted. Flitwick gave a wicked smirk as he read the headline of the Daily Prophet over breakfast.

 **BOY-WHO-LIVED QUITS HOGWARTS**

 _Medical reasons from troll attack claimed_

 _Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is widely claimed as being the most well protected building in Britain. However reports that last week a troll managed to breach its defences and seriously injure one of its students have been confirmed. It is believed that Harry Potter, the boy responsible for the downfall of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named ten years ago, was injured whilst rescuing one of his classmates. He is said to be receiving excellent medical care in the castle's infirmary. Potter's guardians released this statement yesterday: "It is obvious now that there are some serious security concerns in the castle. Due to the fact that Harry felt he had to save the student himself and the injuries he sustained we believe that Hogwarts is no longer the right place for our boy to learn and grow. If a troll can get in, what else can?"_

 _The Hogwarts Medi-Witch, Madam Poppy Pomfrey, responded to our request for an interview with a statement of her own. "Mr Potter suffered severe trauma, blood loss and magical exhaustion after having to battle a troll with less than a month's magical training. It is a miracle that no injuries were fatal. He has responded well to treatment and will shortly be released to continue his recovery at home."_

 _It is not known where Mr Potter will continue his education._

The reaction in the Great Hall was priceless. Flitwick made a note to show it to Harry and Griphook later. There was not a sound to be heard. Every single pair of eyes was riveted on a newspaper, staff included. Sprout seemed to become nauseous and Hagrid visibly sank further into his chair - quite a feat for a half giant. Albus had snatched the paper out of Minerva's hands as he read the headline, forcing her to read it over his shoulder. Minerva's lips pinched together and colour flooded her cheeks. Severus on the other hand looked positively gleeful.

Suddenly there was a resounding crack in the air and as one all eyes turned from the newspaper to the Head Table. If possible, the Hall went even quieter. A pin dropped now would make quite a loud thud, Flitwick thought mischievously. However, the entertainment Minerva and Albus were providing was excellent enough on its own. There was a hand print clearly showing on the Headmaster's face, and Minerva shaking her hand out gave no ambiguity as to who had caused it.

"As much as I am sure I deserved that, perhaps this is a discussion better suited to my office?" Dumbledore stated calmly.

"You'd better fix this Headmaster. If Harry goes-" Minerva started.

"I will talk to him as soon as I am able. I will keep you informed. Come Professor, the first class starts in fifteen minutes. I expect all of your work to be as excellent as usual" Dumbledore efficiently stopped whatever his deputy was going to say; they weren't alone after all.

"Yes Headmaster."

Much as she wanted to tear the old man a new one, Minerva conceded that the Great Hall filled with students at breakfast time was neither the time nor the place. Plus she prided herself on not being a hypocrite. How could she ask her students to concentrate if her own mind was elsewhere?

As the two Professors left, Flitwick thought about how Harry and Griphook would take this. His cousin would definitely enjoy the chaos caused, especially if Flitwick could get himself into some of the meetings. He was the boy's Head of House after all. Harry? Harry would probably be happy that it was happening around him and he could get on with his life. Flitwick had never met someone quite so intent on telling people what they wanted to know whether they liked it or not. If you asked him a question, Harry would answer it as honestly and as bluntly as possible. That was probably why he got on so well with the goblins, Flitwick thought, well as well as the gold he threw around for their services. Dumbledore was going to have a hard time getting Harry to reconsider.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ah Poppy good morning" Dumbledore greeted the medi-witch cheerfully as he stuck his head round her office door. "How's Mr Potter doing today?"

"Currently he's still sleeping Headmaster. He normally wakes around eleven or so. I trust this isn't a social call?"

"No I'm afraid not. Have you seen the Prophet this morning? I need to talk to Harry as a matter of some urgency."

"I have read the article Albus yes. If you're going to try and persuade him to stay I think you may be too little, too late. From the little I've spoken to him, he seems pretty determined to go."

"He can't go Poppy! The Wizarding World needs him."

"That, I think, is most of the problem." Poppy held up a hand to stop Albus's protests. "However when I go and see him, I'll ask if he's feeling up to a visit after lunch. It's up to him though Albus, he is still quite unwell."

Albus backed down with good grace. "Of course, thankyou Poppy."

It was mid afternoon by the time Albus was allowed to meet with Harry. The Headmaster was also given the same dire warnings that the aurors received: upset him and face the healer's wrath.

"Harry my boy, it's so good to see you" Dumbledore started.

"Hello to you too sir" Harry replied.

"Have you seen today's Daily Prophet?"

"Yes sir."

Dumbledore waited but nothing more was forthcoming. He cleared his throat in attempt to make Harry talk more.

"If you're here to try and make me change my mind Headmaster I'll save you the breath. A long winded speech about why I should stay would just waste both your time and mine."

"Harry, if you go, then many other students will follow you."

"That is my problem how sir?"

"Wizarding Britain depends on you Harry. You are their light, their hope, their saviour. They look up to you. If you leave people will be upset. They will think you don't care for them."

"I don't. Well except for Susan, Hermione and Neville of course."

"You don't care that you will cast hundreds of people into despair and ruin the reputation of Hogwarts?"

"Not really, no. The teaching speaks for itself. Potions is crap if you're not Slytherin, Transfiguration has a very tense atmosphere which makes things go wrong more, Herbology is taught by a woman who never seems to have disciplined anyone in her life and nobody can make out a word of what the Defence professor is saying because of his stutter."

"I notice you didn't mention Charms."

"Oh Charms is wonderful. I really enjoyed Charms. That's one thing I'll miss."

"There's a way to avoid feeling that loss Harry. Your parents had your name down here before you were born, did you know?"

"I did."

"What would they think of you throwing away your education like this?"

"I don't know, they died when I was one, remember?" Harry bit back sarcastically.

"They would be incredibly disappointed in you Harry. They sacrificed their lives for yours, don't throw it away."

"Don't you ever do that again" Harry said fiercely sitting up in bed. "Don't you ever say what they would be like because you don't know! No-one will ever know what they think because they're dead! They did as you said and it got them killed! Not forgetting your supposedly safe school nearly killed me as well! Forgive me if I take advice from other people on what to do. People I actually care about."

Harry was breathing hard and he knew he didn't have to go much further before Poppy would come storming in. He was supposedly still quite ill.

"You are famous Harry. You need to be taught how to use that fame."

That would do nicely.

"Oh yeah and who's fault is that? Mum's? Voldemort's? If a dark wizard's after you then a dark wizard's after you. If their spell rebounces then it's their own bloody fault. If you survive because someone died instead of you, then why is it me that's famous and not my mum? Oh yes because I'm alive and she isn't! Thanks for reminding me Headmaster." The bitterness hung in the air.

Poppy had come in as Albus finished his last question and heard the whole last rant. Brandishing her wand she approached the bed.

"I gave you strict instructions not to upset him and you go and do just that! Get out." When Albus opened his mouth to retort Poppy flicked her wrist and the Headmaster was propelled through the open door and the door shut with a bang. "Well that sorted him" she said with a smirk.

Harry smiled slightly. "Can I go home now?" he asked quietly.

"Of course Harry, are you alright?" Poppy asked in return.

"Yeah I just want to be on my own and do normal things again. Perhaps Professor Flitwick would teach me on Saturday mornings?"

"I'll ask him for you. You go on home now. I'll officially release you tomorrow so you can stop having to play around."

"Thanks Madam Pomfrey" Harry said sleepily. "Home."

Safely back in Wales Harry fell asleep without even getting under the covers of his bed. Poppy, Griphook and Flitwick would sort everything.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The following evening Harry saw his two best friends from primary school Jack and Rich playing football out in the park. He went out to see them.

"Harry!" they exclaimed. "You said you were going to boarding school!"

Harry shrugged. "Didn't like it" he said. Then he brightened. "Want to play penalties? I haven't practised my keeper skills since I left."

"Sure!" Jack replied with a grin. "Maybe we'll beat you this time!"

They played for an hour or so until the boys had to go back for dinner.

"You staying around then?" Rich asked.

"Hopefully" Harry replied.

"See you at school then?"

"Got plans for tomorrow but I'll try for Monday."

"Cool. See you soon Harry!"

"Bye Jack, bye Rich!"

"Wonder what's left in the house" Harry mumbled to himself as he felt his stomach rumble.

Pasta, pesto and tinned tomatoes were the best things he could find in his cupboards but it made a rather delicious meal. He would need to buy more food tomorrow though and get his life back on track now he was home again. He wanted his fireplace connected to the Floo so that Susan, Neville and Hermione could visit him easily and he needed a room where he could have his magic lessons. Perhaps Neville would like to join in those too. He also wanted a mobile phone so that he could keep in contact with his non-magical friends - he'd seen Jack showing his off just a week before he went to Hogwarts. A trip to Gringotts was high on his list for tomorrow. Then he could go shopping.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N** Thanks for all the reviews! Just to answer a couple of points: there's no pairings in this story. Harry is eleven years old, that's not the time for relationships past friendship. And as you'll see Harry's life takes a different turn in this chapter :)

As for those of you asking about the money and how useless Harry is with it, I ask you in return - how much did you know about money, investments and running large estates at eleven years old? Then combine that with not having tuppence before and you can hopefully see how overwhelming it is. Harry trusts Griphook a lot and I don't see why he shouldn't give him the control he does. I'm happy to discuss this if anyone would like to; I like to keep my stories realistic after all!

Enough with that - on with the show!

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

It had been a month since Harry had left Hogwarts and most of the wizarding world behind him. Professor Flitwick came to teach him privately on Wednesday evenings and then him and Neville on Saturday mornings. Harry found that he enjoyed helping Neville control his wandless magic as much as he enjoyed learning his own. He did join the school where Jack and Rich were and caught up quickly with the work he had missed. He had no idea how the goblins had persuaded the school to take him with no obvious guardian, but he assumed it would be the same way as when he first moved to Wales. Harry asked Griphook to do something and lo and behold it happened. This more than anything allowed Harry to retain his childhood whilst living on his own.

As Harry made his way to school one morning he met Jack by the gates as usual. Jack was a talkative person and today he seemed even more excited than usual.

"Hi Harry! Apparently some bloke got run over by a bus because he didn't look where he was going before he crossed the road last night. Stupid if you ask me. But anyway he got killed and he had two boys about our age I think. Well my mother spent what felt like a solid hour telling me about all of this this morning and how much she loves me and that it could happen to anyone and that if she did go I was to go and stay at my Auntie Nicole's and blah blah blah. And oh yeah" Jack put his hands on Harry's shoulders and looked at him piercingly. "Make sure you always look AND listen before you cross that big road to school Jacky!" He imitated his mother's voice as well as he could. "I mean does she think I'm still six or something?!"

"Hello to you too Jack" Harry smirked. "Your mum getting at you again is she?"

"Oh sorry Harry didn't mean to rant at you first thing!" Jack smiled sheepishly. "But you know, I'm twelve now - I'll be a teenager next year I can look after myself!"

Harry thought that Jack's idea of looking after himself would be rather different to Harry's reality. Not that he minded - he had friends and he could always ask Pomfrey, Flitwick or Griphook anything he wanted advice for but he had often wondered what it would be like to have parents. What would be their little quirks? Would he get annoyed with them like Jack did so often? They shouldn't be taken for granted he knew that for sure. He wondered how those boys would cope without their dad.

A bell rang suddenly and both boys ran into the building in an effort not to be late. They managed it, just.

Although he had lessons that day Harry's thoughts kept turning towards the story that Jack had told him and how the family must be feeling. Harry didn't remember his parents' deaths but he did remember the difficulty growing up on his own and the whole magic/Hogwarts/goblins thing feeling completely overwhelming. He remembered several times just wanting to talk to someone that understood him. Of course, there was the whole Boy-Who-Lived fame barrier in the magical world and the not being allowed out with the Dursleys. If he could help these kids then he wanted to.

"Hey Jack" Harry said at the end of the day. "Those kids whose dad got killed that you were ranting about this morning. Do you know any more about them?"

Jack shook his head. "Sorry Harry wasn't paying any attention. Could probably find you the newspaper article that mum was reading though if you're that interested?"

"Thanks Jack"

"No worries." There was silence for a few moments before Jack continued. "They'll be doing all the stuff with his will and insurance and stuff now. I never want to be doing that."

"What do you mean, will and insurance and stuff?" Harry asked.

"Stuff you do when someone dies. Mum and Dad spent ages doing it after Grandpa went. I even had to go to Auntie Nicole's for a week because of it."

"Bet you enjoyed that" Harry teased.

"Didn't really know what was going on to be honest, I was only eight."

They had reached the carpark by this time and Jack saw his mum waiting in her car.

"What's mum doing here?" he exclaimed. "Looks like I'm driving home, want a lift anywhere Harry?"

"No thanks, I like the walk!"

"Ok well see you later then!"

"Yeah see you Jack."

Harry walked home deep in thought. It seemed like there was stuff that happened after people died. Who had done that for his parents? The names sounded weird but important: will and insurance. He wondered if Griphook would know because that goblin seemed to know everything. Checking he was out of sight of everyone Harry activated his portkey to Gringotts.

"Lord Potter, an honour to see you again" Griphook greeted him.

"May the gold ever flow in your fortune Griphook" Harry replied with a smile.

"How can Gringotts help you today?" Griphook asked, bowing his head in acknowledgement of the goblin greeting.

"I came for advice actually. I could have asked Flitwick I suppose but you always seem to know everything! Do you mind?" Harry blurted.

"I shall always help my clients as much as I am able. A goblin could do nothing less." The grin that Griphook ended his statement with left Harry wondering quite what "help" some wizards might be receiving. Harry decided to pretend he hadn't noticed.

"Ok, some guy got killed in my town last night and my friend Jack mentioned that the family would have to deal with all the wills and insurance now. He just said it was something that happened when someone dies, could you explain any more?"

"Perhaps it is a good thing you came to me after all Lord Potter. I believe the answer you are looking for is that yes your parents did have a Will and yes they also had insurance, although the Potter Estate fortune would have easily carried you through. As to an explanation, a Will is a document written by a person where they state what they want to do with their money and possessions when they die. If they have children it often also says who they want the children to grow up with."

"My parents wanted me to live with the Dursleys?!" Harry exclaimed loudly. "I thought they loved me? Who would want to make their child unwanted if they died?"

"No Lord Potter, in fact they expressly forbid those people from taking care of you. However we goblins do not have any power in the world of human politics and the will was sealed before any wizard could read it. Neither I nor the Director himself could stop you being placed there, we could only intervene once we had monetary business with you. The late Lady Potter was very adamant that you didn't go there."

"So if mum was so sure with you why didn't some wizards know? She must have told someone."

"Alas that I cannot answer. Perhaps Filius could help you there. I recall he had a good relationship with Lady Potter."

"Thanks Griphook. So a Will is something that someone writes, what's insurance?"

Griphook chuckled. "First I would advise you never to ask any goblin that question unless you are prepared for an extremely long lecture on the topic. It is the main branch of banking aside from the vaults."

"Why so much?" Harry asked curiously.

"Insurance is an extremely broad topic. There is building insurance, possession insurance, magic insurance, identity insurance, health insurance and what I believe you are referring to which is life insurance. You pay a monthly fee and if you die Gringotts pays out a fixed amount to your family. Useful for families with only one source of income."

"So mum and dad had this? And you paid me money when they died?"

"Correct. I tried to persuade them they did not need it but they were insistent. Many conversations in this office were about you and the war. Anyone could tell that you meant more than any amount of money to them."

"They knew they were going to die didn't they?" Harry asked softly.

"They knew they were being targeted. The late Lord Potter did not want to leave anything to chance."

"It might be ten years late but can I read their things? I've-I've never seen their handwriting."

Harry's voice had dropped to a whisper and he struggled to keep his composure under the overload of emotions he was feeling. Once more Griphook found himself at a loss, here was a very prominent client, a person who he respected strongly obviously in need of comfort. He was just the Lord's bank manager - an advisor at a push, but still it was a professional relationship. Goblins did not care for wizards in a sensitive way, any more than wizards could care for goblins. That is where Lord Harry Potter is different, a voice spoke up in Griphook's head. He truly cares for you. If you were in trouble or hurt he would do everything he could for you, precedence or not.

Running a long, gnarled hand over his face in a rare show of emotion, Griphook walked around the desk and put his hand gently on the shoulder of the shaking boy. Feeling the support that the hand offered Harry began to cry in earnest. Unconsciously Harry leaned into the touch and shortly was crying into the shoulder of a completely bemused goblin. To his credit, Griphook did not move until Harry had calmed himself down and stepped away.

"I'm so sorry sir. I didn't mean to do that! It just all kind of came out..." Harry babbled until Griphook held up his hand.

"Lord Potter, whilst that was an unprecedented situation for me to find myself in it was not unwarranted. I have no doubt that if the tables were turned you would do the same for me."

"Certainly I would. You're my friend. Thankyou."

That childish statement again threw Griphook. A wizard declaring a goblin his friend? And not to mention all the "sir" when he had been apologising. The boy was a complete enigma.

"Lord Potter my job is to see to your needs-"

"Not to comfort me or let me cry on you" Harry interrupted. "Those are not normal goblin traits, I can see by your expression! And please, call me Harry. You've done enough to deserve it and don't say it was just your job because I can tell it isn't. I have spoken to other people and Professor Flitwick enough to know that!"

Griphook stared at the young wizard. "I cannot do that Lord Potter. That would suggest a familiarity between yourself and me that I cannot accept."

Suddenly Harry's stomach gave a large grumble.

"Oh no! I promised Rich I would meet with him after dinner! It'll be nearly that time now! I have to go now, can I come back tomorrow to see everything?"

"Certainly Lord Potter, I shall have them ready for your arrival."

"Thankyou please take your usual fee for this visit. May your gold ever flow." Harry bowed his head sharply in goodbye.

"And your fortunes rise to meet it. Until tomorrow Lord Potter" Griphook replied.

"Home."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry wondered all through the evening how he could thank Griphook and get him to use his first name. He liked the goblin and he wanted to give something back. He knew respect and loyalty were two big things in the goblin community and gold held no sway. For all the goblin had done for him, this was the least he wanted to do. Eventually he decided that Flitwick might have some other ideas or at least he could help brainstorming.

"Hogwarts, Professor Flitwick's office!" Harry called into the fire.

"Harry!" Flitwick exclaimed when he saw the face. "How lovely to see you again. I was just about to make some tea would you like to join me?"

"I would love that sir, thankyou."

When Harry stepped through, Flitwick was busy adding tea leaves to his teapot. The teapot was decorated with all different incantations for charms and spells and they were moving as if they did not want to be near each other. Sometimes a coloured beam would shoot across the teapot and occasionally the teapot would even flash a completely different colour. Harry was entranced.

"Do you like it?" Flitwick asked when he saw where Harry's gaze was focussed.

"Yes sir, it's cool how all the spells seem to be fighting each other!"

"Your mother gave me that as a Christmas present the year you were born. You were as entranced with it then as you seem to be now. I have never seen another quite like it so I assume that Lily charmed it herself. She had an unhealthy love of tea, but she could never drink it unless it was made in a pot. I had never really tried the drink until Lily became my apprentice - it's one of the many things that she taught me during that time. Appreciation of good tea."

Harry smiled as he listened to the half-goblin speak. It was these types of stories about his parents that he treasured the most.

"Can you teach me?" Harry asked. "I'd love to learn what's so fascinating about a few leaves in some water, especially if my mum liked it."

"Certainly Harry. I'd be happy to. Both mine and your mum's favourite flavour of tea was Earl Grey, named after a Muggle Prime Minister who was given some as a gift in the 1800s. Try some and see what you think of it."

Flitwick passed a small steaming mug over to Harry who took a sip. He could instantly tell why Professor Flitwick liked it, it fit with the man. It was a full flavour, but not overpowering. However neither was it delicate. The best way Harry could describe it was strong but subtle. Rather like the wizard sitting opposite him he thought.

"I like it sir" he said after he had taken another sip. "Thankyou."

"Not a problem at all Harry. I would much rather spend my evening with you drinking tea than sitting at my desk on my own. Did you come here for anything in particular?"

"I wanted to know about Goblins. I asked Griphook something today and for the first time, he said no. I wondered if you could tell me more about goblin society?"

"Griphook refused you something? What on earth did you ask him?!"

"I asked him to call me Harry. I'd just cried on his shoulder for five minutes and he stood there and comforted me until I stopped. He's done everything I asked and more over the last few months plus he's always happy to answer my questions or give me advice if I want it. I wanted to give him something back. I know gold means nothing to them and goblins are the best crafters there are so I couldn't give him an object. I thought it was the least I could do not to make him use Lord Potter to refer to me all the time. I don't know why I didn't think of it before really."

Flitwick was speechless. For a long moment there was silence in the office. Harry was the first to break it.

"Sir?" he enquired tentatively. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No Harry, you did not do anything wrong" Flitwick replied eventually. "I imagine Griphook's reaction was similar to my own?"

"He stared at me for a moment then said that that would suggest a familiarity that he couldn't accept."

"I see. Do you know anything about goblin families Harry?"

"No sir."

"There's no reason why you would. Most wizards wouldn't give a monkey's about a goblin's life, let alone their personal life. It doesn't get talked about much but to a goblin, family is the most important thing. If Griphook were to return home one day and find that his wife or one of his children had been harmed by another goblin, he would demand to fight the head of the other goblin's family in the pit. The goblin challenged must accept or his family will be forever branded as cowards. Goblins are a warrior race and they will have nothing to do with cowards. The family would not last long before they had to move out of Gringotts."

"What's the pit?" Harry asked curiously.

"The place for goblin trials by battle. They fight to the death. Only one goblin ever leaves the pit."

"So goblins will kill each other to protect their family?"

"Yes."

"And by asking him him to call me Harry I-"

"Told him that you thought of him as family" Flitwick finished. "Do you understand now why he reacted as he did?"

"I think so, but I still want to do something for him. Can you think of anything?"

Flitwick's grin split his face. "I happen to know that he is particularly partial to Victoria sponge cake. It is the only place I have ever heard him concede that wizard-made is better than goblin-made."

"Does he like cream? Or just jam?" Harry asked with a matching grin.

"Oh cream certainly. With icing sugar on top" Flitwick added with a chuckle. "He said he was living off the thankyous for weeks after the last one! That must have been a good few years ago now."

"I'm going to see him tomorrow to read my parents' wills. Do you want to come with me?"

"Certainly, if you want me to. Do you want to come here first?"

"I can do. I'm going there probably straight after school again. Will you be free then?"

"Of course. Now it's practically curfew and eleven year old boys should be tucked up in bed, regardless of if they are a lord or not!"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Goodnight Professor."

"Goodnight Harry."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"Filius, Lord Potter good afternoon!" Griphook greeted them. "You have both come for the reading of the Potter wills?"

"Yes Harry asked if I would come with him when he heard them. I also have some business with the Director afterwards" Flitwick replied.

"Let's get started then. Please take a seat." Griphook picked up a sealed roll of parchment from his desk and flicked the sharp nail of a long finger along the wax. The parchment unrolled but before he could say a word Harry spoke.

"Can I see it?" he said.

Silence. "There's no reason why he can't is there Griphook?" Flitwick said eventually.

"None that I can think of. This is the late Lord Potter's will. He died first so his will gets executed first.' Griphook handed the parchment over and Harry took it reverently, handling it as if it were going to crumble into nothingness if he so much as closed his fist around it. The legal jargon at the top was complete gibberish to Harry but he did like the way his father also apparently had "chicken-scratch" writing as Snape had often called Harry's.

"What's a Secret Keeper?" Harry asked after a few seconds of reading.

"The person who holds the key to the Fidelius charm. Only they can give out the location of the thing that is being hidden. Didn't you come across that when you researched that charm?"

"Maybe?" Harry shrugged. "I didn't pay much attention because there are so many better ways of hiding something." Griphook smirked in agreement.

"We shall continue this discussion another time Harry, what does your dad say about Black?" Flitwick asked.

"Who?"

"Their Secret Keeper, Sirius Black."

Harry looked between the goblins in confusion. "Dad says that was Peter Pettigrew. Sirius Black isn't mentioned until later."

"But Black is in Azkaban for their murder and that of thirteen muggles!" Flitwick spluttered.

"Another thing Gringotts couldn't do anything about?" Harry asked Griphook.

Griphook was impressed again by how intuitive this boy was. He could only give the blunt, honest answer to such a question. "I'm afraid so."

"Gringotts is neutral, isn't it" Harry half asked, half stated.

"Of course" Flitwick and Griphook replied together.

Harry grinned. "Wonderful. Be back in a bit if that's alright? Sirius Black, Azkaban."

"Is he-?"

"I think so."

"Wow."

"Indeed" Griphook replied drily. "So tell me, how are your wife and daughter these days?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

While the goblin and half goblin were catching up, Harry had landed in Sirius's cell. However there was no person just a large black dog facing the wall away from him. The portkey had never been wrong before but Harry was confused now. The sounds of his mum dying in his head weren't helping either. However as soon as the dog turned and saw him it turned instantly back into a man.

"Harry?" he breathed. "How did you get in here?"

"Did you kill my mum and dad?" Harry demanded harshly but quietly. "That's why you're here right?"

"No Harry I would rather have died than betray James and Lily. James was my brother in all but blood. His family were more like family than my own. I could never harm them."

"So why are you here?"

"Because Peter blamed me, then blew up the street and ran into the sewer, filthy little rat. The fact that it was Peter of all people stunned me motionless. By the time I had regained my senses there were thirty aurors around me and I was disarmed. They brought me here a few minutes later and forgot about me."

Sirius's started off in a quiet voice but as his frustration mounted, so did his volume. Harry heard shuffling feet and quickly grabbed Sirius.

"You need to touch my ring. It's a portkey."

"Portkeys don't-"

"How do you think I got in?" Harry interrupted. He grabbed Sirius's hand against the ring. "Gringotts."

Harry landed back in the room he left. On seeing the goblin sitting calmly behind his desk, Sirius fainted. Both Griphook and Flitwick had heard them arrive and therefore seen Sirius fall. All three stared at each other with a combination of shock, amusement and concern. After a brief minute Griphook touched a rune on his desk.

"What did you do?" Flitwick asked moving closer to Harry.

"Portkeyed in, talked and left again" Harry replied. "Will he be alright?"

"I have called for a healer and the Director. Both should be here shortly."

"You summoned the Director?" Flitwick asked aghast.

"I did. This is Lord Potter's Godfather we are talking about."

"Of course. I hope the Director agrees with you though."

"What?" asked Harry. The concern on his face had been replaced by utter confusion. "I have a Godfather?"

"Why did you rescue Black from Azkaban Harry?" Flitwick asked in response.

"Because he didn't do anything and it sounded unpleasant. I didn't even know what Azkaban was, I just thought he probably shouldn't be there and I could get him out. I did question him before we left."

Any response that either goblin or half goblin was going to make was stopped by a loud knock at the door and a throaty call. Griphook waved his hand to open the door and motioned to the still unconscious wizard.

"That's a wizard" the goblin said.

"Your observation powers astound us" Griphook replied drily.

"But ... he's a wizard, a human..." the goblin spluttered.

"Yes and he just fainted in my office" Griphook snarled.

"Please sir, can you help him? He's the only family I have."

Only when the goblins turned to stare at him did Harry realise that that whole conversation had been in gobbledegook.

"Lord Potter, meet Wingback. He is a Healer and will treat your Godfather or he will be explaining to the Director the reason why." Griphook glared at the other goblin.

"What will I be being told?" asked a voice from the doorway, breaking the glare-off.

At that voice Flitwick, Griphook and Wingback all spun around and dropped to one knee with heads bowed. Harry quickly copied them.

After the signal to rise Wingback started "Griphook called me to treat a human, Director" he said quickly in gobbledegook.

The Director turned to Griphook. "Explain" he demanded coldly.

"He is Lord Potter's godfather and only remaining family. Perhaps you would allow Lord Potter himself to explain?"

"Director Ragnok, may your gold pile higher than the oceans are deep." Harry bowed again as he finished. It may be over the top but Harry did not want to offend this highest of goblins by not following some unknown custom.

"You are a strange wizard indeed Lord Potter. You show respect, not many of your kind do. You also know our language - a trait shared by even fewer. In response I shall let you explain what is happening."

"I came to read my parents' wills as I am allowed as the last Potter. I found out that Peter Pettigrew was the Secret Keeper but Sirius Black was in prison for that crime. I fixed that problem but as soon as we returned he fainted. Griphook then summoned Wingback and yourself and here we are now. Sirius is my godfather and my only family and I am concerned about him."

"Wingback, find out what is wrong with Mr Black" Ragnok ordered.

"Malnutrition, magical exhaustion and severely underweight Director."

"Nothing life threatening then. You are dismissed."

Once the goblin healer had left there was a brief silence before Ragnok continued. "Lord Potter what I am about to say goes no further than this room. You cannot even talk to Filius about it."

"Yes sir" Harry replied.

Ragnok nodded. "Gringotts has an asylum facility. Because of your ongoing respect and good business with the goblin nation, I offer your godfather use of this facility for an appropriate fee. This offer is also made with the understanding that he will be released to wizards to stand trial for his crimes as soon as possible. The outcome of that trial is not our concern, but he may stay here for a short time until his guilt is determined."

Flitwick was staring at the wall behind the Ragnok with shock plastered all over his face whereas Griphook looked merely slightly surprised. After a few moments of silence Flitwick came out of his trance and spoke to Harry.

"Harry the Director is the only goblin who can issue this offer and there has not been any asylum for centuries, let alone wizard asylum. When the Director says he can stay here, what he means is that your godfather will have armed goblin guards that will not let any harm come to him whilst they live. The place may not be luxurious but it will be safe I can assure you. You will not get this offer again." Flitwick added in the bits that a young wizard probably wouldn't know.

"Thankyou Director I would be honoured to accept your offer. Please take the payment you require from my vault. Can I leave that with you to sort Mr Griphook?"

"Certainly Lord Potter."

Harry smiled. "Thanks. Professor, please can you wake up Sirius? I don't want him to freak out again and upset the goblins whilst he's staying here."

Flitwick knelt down to enervate Sirius and muttered into his ear when he showed signs of alertness. "Ragnok, The Director of the goblin nation is in the room and Harry accepted asylum for you until a trial can be called at the Ministry. If you care for your godson think very carefully before you say anything."

Sirius sat up slowly. Why the hell was he in Gringotts? How had the goblins got him out of Azkaban? Then he remembered - Harry. He must be dreaming but if so he never wanted this dream to end. His godson had portkeyed into Azkaban and then portkeyed them both out. Then there was a civil conversation with a goblin. Sirius inwardly chuckled at the things his imagination could come up with. Suddenly he heard his name being called.

"Sirius! Sirius! Sirius can you hear me?"

"I'm not bloody deaf that was Prongs' speciality" Sirius grumbled to himself.

"Mr Black inform us of the events of October 31 1981" Ragnok ordered crisply.

Sirius's head shot round as he came face to face with a grizzled yet powerful goblin. On second glance he saw the medallion marking him as extremely high ranking. Suddenly Flitwick's words came back to him.

"Director Ragnok, may your enemies tremble at the thought of your coming." That greeting wasn't the best but given the circumstances Sirius was just glad he'd remembered any at all.

Ragnok gave no move to acknowledge the greeting and continued to stare, unblinking, at the wizard.

Sirius gulped. "I heard the explosion and I pulled Harry out of the house. Hagrid came to get him then on Dumbledore's orders and asked if he could use my bike. When he had gone I realised that Peter must have been the spy and told Voldemort everything he wanted. I went to find the traitor but he found me first. He blew up the street, changed into his rat form and disappeared leaving me surrounded by everything. It was my idea to switch Secret Keepers; I was the most obvious and Peter the least obvious. I believed that made their deaths my fault. I was in such shock that all I could say was "it's my fault". The aurors must have taken me literally, chucked me in Azkaban and then with job done went to join the party. I imagine it all just got swept under the rug after that."

"As per Lord Potter's offer, Gringotts will give you asylum until a trial can be called. You are not to speak of this anywhere except this room. The trial will be called as soon as possible. Come."

Ragnok swept out of the room. Sirius looked over at Harry in slight concern, but at Harry's nod and proximity to Flitwick he followed the revered goblin from the room.

"Griphook. I think I know a way to get him a trial. Whether he is guilty I do not know, but every being deserves a trial at least" Flitwick started. "A letter to Madam Amelia Bones requesting her presence concerning a client's will should do the trick." Flitwick's scheming grin was met by one from Griphook. "I'll leave that to you. Now before Harry falls asleep I believe he has something for you."

Harry jumped to attention and took the wrapped gift from Flitwick. "I wanted to do something for you since you've been so good to me, helping me with everything and things. Professor Flitwick suggested this. I can't cook with magic yet though so I made it the muggle way. I hope you like it."

Harry placed the box on the table and Griphook looked questioningly at Flitwick who gave nothing away. Griphook opened the wrapping and the box carefully. Inside was a large victoria sponge cake with "THANKS. Harry" written across the top. It was Griphook's turn show his shock whilst Flitwick looked smug.

Eventually Griphook composed himself, although a smile kept creeping onto his face that he couldn't entirely remove. The boy had put a lot of time and effort into creating this for him, because he wanted to.

"Thankyou Lord... Harry" he said.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N** huge thanks to everyone who has reviewed! Special thanks have to go to digbygreen for his comment about The Pit! Not in this fic I'm afraid, but I might write a spin off just for you because it is such a wonderful idea!

This is the second to last chapter I'm afraid, but it does contain Christmas. With only 78 days to go until Christmas 2015 I hope it gets you in the mood. Enjoy :)

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

Sirius' trial occurred three days later. It was short, brutal and the verdict returned before the end of the day. Sirius walked out of the courtroom a free man. He was slightly put out that he had been ordered to undergo a check up with a Healer but the thought of Harry allowed him to get through it. He got in touch with Remus and told him everything that happened. The wolf was showing through his friend by the time Sirius had finished.

"He's fine now Remus. He left the muggles when he got his Hogwarts letter. Somehow he gained the respect of the goblins and is now living in Wales. Flitwick could give you all the details, but I don't want to hear it again."

"Why Flitwick? Is he a Ravenclaw?"

"He was, yes" Sirius corrected.

"Was?" Remus was instantly alert. "What do you mean, was?"

Sirius sighed. "He's no longer at Hogwarts Remus."

"What?" Remus shouted. "He got expelled? What did he do?"

"He did nothing wrong Remus, calm down." Sirius thought it delightfully ironic that he was having to calm down Remus. So often it had been the other way around. "He left of his own accord."

"What? Why?"

"A troll attacked him and his friends."

"Explain" Remus growled.

The conversation continued until Remus knew everything Sirius did.

"When can I see him?" Remus asked.

"I'll tell him you want to, but I don't know when sorry. I don't run his life."

"But aren't you his guardian?"

Sirius chuckled. "When you meet him you'll understand."

A few days later the two Marauders met again.

"He says he's happy to meet you but it will have to be during the Christmas holidays. He says he's too busy until then" Sirius started.

"But that's still a week away!" Remus complained.

"Two actually, Harry's school finishes a week later than Hogwarts."

"Two weeks" Remus moaned.

"You've waited ten years Moony, what's another two weeks? I'll ask if you can join us for Christmas, how about that?"

"Thankyou Padfoot."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Christmas Day dawned with a fresh snowfall. Harry was extremely happy for a white Christmas, he had never seen one. He was a bit unsure about inviting Remus today but Sirius wanted him so much that Harry just didn't have the heart to say no. He had even bought the man a Christmas present, a gift voucher to Flourish and Blotts. Sirius had said that he devoured books like most people devoured food. Harry thought it rather reminded him of Hermione. The other guests were Flitwick with his wife and daughter and Griphook. All his Hogwarts and muggle friends were with their families today. Griphook had not wanted to come but Harry could be very stubborn when he wanted. As it happened, he could out-stubborn a goblin. When Griphook refused with no good reason, Harry said he wouldn't leave until he got a better answer. He had sat there, completely unmoving for ten hours until Griphook gave in.

"Lord Harry, a very merry Christmas to you" the goblin greeted his host when he arrived.

"Thankyou Griphook, merry Christmas to you too. I didn't know goblins celebrated Christmas?"

"Not Christmas especially, but they do have a winter celebration" another voice added from behind. A moment later Flitwick came into view. "Happy Christmas Harry! Thankyou so much for inviting us, Dell has talked about nothing else since we told her!"

"It's nothing Professor. I'm really pleased you could come."

Sirius and Remus arrived shortly afterwards and Harry smiled widely as he led his guests into the little dining room. He had set it all out nicely as he would have done for the Dursleys, except this time one of the places was for him. He had also cooked a full turkey with stuffing, roasted vegetables, sausages wrapped in bacon and brussell sprouts. It was a Christmas feast.

After they had stuffed themselves with Harry's delightful cooking, they all headed into the sitting room where there were presents sticking out from under the tree. Dell squealed as she saw them and Harry grinned.

"Go and look" he said. "I'm sure there's one in there for you and your mummy and daddy."

Dell turned pleading eyes on her father who gave a quick nod. She bounded off and happily started rummaging through the small collection of brightly wrapped packages. She found the one with her name on and ripped it open quickly, another squeal escaped as she saw her gift.

"Daddy! Daddy! I got a unicorn!"

"So you did my dear, don't you think you'd better say something to Harry?"

"Thankyou Harry!" Dell saild sweetly, running over to give him a hug.

"You're welcome Dell. I'm glad you like it."

"Unicorns are my favouritest animal in the whole world!"

"Well did you know your daddy has real unicorns where he works? If you're really good he might agree to take you to them" Harry said with a mischievous grin. Flitwick had told him a few stories regarding unicorns in the forest.

"Oh Daddy will you?" Dell asked with pleading eyes.

"We'll see darling" her mother interrupted. Those eyes got anything from Filius. Dell had him wrapped around her little finger. "Is there a present for me in there?"

Harry had got Fltwick's wife, Elsa, a couple of muggle cookery books and Flitwick himself a book written by Tom Connolly, a wizard famous from the duelling circuit. The wizard had retired twenty five years ago apparently, but retired unbeaten and still held the top spot on the national rankings. Sirius received a new dog collar and a trip for two to a nearby gentleman's spa he'd been asking about. Harry hesitated when it came to Remus however.

"I'm sorry that this is a bit impersonal R-Remus, but I didn't really know what to g-get you" Harry stammered.

"Harry I wasn't expecting anything. Being able to spend Christmas with you and Sirius is an excellent present in itself!"

Remus took the offered gift with a smile and began to unwrap it. He knew Sirius must have had a hand in the wrapping when the discarded pile got larger and larger and yet there was still no end in sight.

"Padfoot!" he shrieked. "What have you done to my Christmas present?"

"I merely asked if Harry wanted me to wrap it for you. When he said yes, I obliged" Sirius replied innocently.

Remus glared at his friend and continued to pull off the wrapping. By the time he reached the card and voucher there was wrapping paper strewn all over the room, much to Dell's delight.

"Harry thankyou. I don't have much money to spend on interesting things like books at the moment."

"You're welcome."

Small talk continued until Harry decided it was mince pie time and went to warm them in the kitchen. When he returned, wandlessly floating the tray in front of him, Flitwick spoke up.

"How's your knowledge of magic Remus?"

"Not too bad, not a patch on yours - or seemingly Harry's." He gestured towards the floating tray.

"That's where you're wrong Remus. Harry knows the how but not the why. You had quite an aptitude for magical theory if I recall?"

"The theory of why magic works fascinates me, I admit. Why do you ask?"

"I don't have the time to teach Harry both the control and the theory of his magic Remus. If Harry agrees, I thought it might be good if you perhaps took over the theory. That way you get to see more of Harry and Sirius, Harry gets to know you, learn about his family more and learn the things he wants to know, and I can concentrate on the practical side. I would of course compensate you for your time."

"You're offering me a job to teach Harry magical theory?" Remus asked in shock. "What about my furry little problem?"

"If Harry agrees, I'm sure you can schedule lessons around the full moon. What do you say Harry?"

"I want to learn more magic - yes please!" replied Harry with a broad grin. His face suddenly darkened. "It will still be here though?"

"Of course Harry. You and Remus can sort out the best times between you. He'll teach you whatever you ask about and you can always come to me if you get stuck with anything."

"OK! Sounds great!" Suddenly the boy saw another package under the tree. He grabbed it and realised who it was for. "Griphook! Why didn't you say anything! You never got your present!"

"Your invitation was present enough Lord...Harry" the goblin amended on seeing Harry's face. "Just watching you enjoy your Christmas Day is all I need."

"It is incredibly impolite to refuse a gift from the host. Every goblin worth his blade knows that! Besides, I know what's in there and you really don't want to miss out on it." Flitwick smirked as he spoke, his eyes glinting mischievously as he laid out the bait he and Harry had set. "Now you can either accept this, or watch Harry open it, knowing that you rejected it and can't have it."

"If you've had anything to do with it I probably don't want it" Griphook shot back with a wink. "However I believe I am a goblin worth my blade so I shall gladly accept, Lord Harry and hope that Filius has not put anything too nasty into it. That half-goblin is devilish with his pranks when he wants to be!"

Griphook pulled open the paper and his jaw dropped in shock. A perfectly spherical ball, supported on a weightless marble stand looked back at him. It was an item many a goblin or wizard could only dream of: a memory sphere. Like a penseive you could add memories to it, but unlike a penseive it could only hold two and would play them constantly.

"Lord Potter, I cannot, this is too much" Griphook spluttered.

"First off it's Harry, secondly you've already accepted it and thirdly I want you to have it. I know the significance of giving that as a gift, that's why I got it. To refuse now would offend me highly." Harry had moved from excited eleven year old on Christmas Day to Lord Potter in the space of a minute and all the goblins present knew it.

Griphook sighed, although his eyes betrayed his shock still. "Very well. Please accept my sincere thanks, Harry." He stressed the name, causing the boy in question to smile. "My gift to you cannot measure up, but if I can be of any help to you in the future, just ask and I'll see what can be done."

Griphook handed Harry a small leather pouch which he opened carefully. The inside was enlarged and carried a belt and small dagger in sheath. Everything was embossed with the Gringott's crest. Flitwick, Elsa and Sirius gasped when they saw it.

Seeing Harry's confused face, Flitwick hastened to explain. "This is a goblin blade Harry. It will never become blunt and will absorb anything that makes it stronger. The belt is a Gringott's belt. It signifies to everyone that you are a friend of the Goblin Nation and are to be treated as such."

Harry turned to look at Griphook with wide eyes. "But sir! I'm not... I mean I'm just your client... And you're my friend but... But I don't need this! It's too much!"

"I would have thought by now that you would have realised that you are different to us than most wizards Lord Harry. Gringotts does not have to do this, you are quite right, and that is precisely why the Director decided so. When he heard of my somewhat forced invitation to your Christmas party, he sent me immediately to obtain these for your gift. Insulting the Director by refusing would likely be the last thing both you and I ever did."

"Daddy, why does Griphook keep calling Harry Lord Harry? Do I need to do that too?" Dell suddenly spoke up.

"No Dell-bell, Griphook is just a stubborn old goblin." Flitwick replied with a glance at Harry.

"You'd better not start calling me Lord anything Dell, or I'll have to call you Lady and bow every time I see you!" Harry added.

Dell grinned. "Lord Harry?" she asked.

"Yes my lady?" Harry replied with a curtsy and a grin.

Dell started giggling and soon the rest of the group had joined in. The rest of the afternoon passed wonderfully and soon it became time for everyone to leave. Thanks and hugs and promises to meet again were had and soon it was just Harry again. He had loved celebrating Christmas with magical people, but it had been a long day. Deciding to clear up the following day, he headed to bed and was asleep within seconds, dreaming about half-goblin ladies riding around on unicorns.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N** so we come to the last chapter! I hope you have enjoyed the ride and this chapter clears up the loose ends. If there are any I've missed let me know and I'll edit this chapter to include them. Thanks for reading!

* * *

 **Chapter 14**

Of course the Boy-Who-Lived leaving Hogwarts just screamed scandal and as the wizarding press well knew, nothing sold newspapers quite like a good scandal. A reporter that got an interview with Harry could see their career made in one day. The problem was that no-one could find out where he was. The Dursleys spent weeks fending off reporters from their front and back doors, at all times of day and Obliviators were required more than once when things got out of hand.

With only a finite number of magical schools, it was perhaps inevitable that the interview-seeking journalists would eventually turn to the muggle world to look for their saviour. The fact it took them five years to do so was testament to Flitwick and Griphook's powers of deception and the sheer numbers of false leads they created. It was August of Harry's fifth year before a lucky reporter quite literally stumbled upon him.

"Sorry" the man mumbled.

"No problem" Harry replied as he pushed his glasses straight. In doing so he knocked his fringe out the way, revealing for an instant his lightning bolt scar.

The reporter stared. "Mr Pott-Potter?" he asked in shock.

Harry stopped dead. "Sorry sir, do I know you?"

"Forgive me Mr Potter. Terry Brook, Daily Prophet."

"Pleased to meet you sir." Harry held out his hand for the other man to shake. "Can I do anything for you? It's just that I'm on my way to collect my exam results and all my friends will be there before me if I'm not careful!"

"Exam results?"

"Yeah it's GCSE results day, how could you not know?!"

Terry took a deep breath. "I couldn't ask you a few questions could I? The whole world wants to know where you've been and what you've been doing!"

"I've been here and I've been going to school, what else did you think I've been doing?!" Seeing the look on the reporter's face, he added, "talk to Professor Flitwick, tell him I sent you and you two can sort something out between you. I've really got to go now!"

With that Harry took off at a dead sprint.

The deal that Flitwick struck with the journalist was simplicity itself. The only condition was that Harry have finished school before he gave the interview. Flitwick even gave all kinds of concessions: the reporter would have exclusivity, all questions were acceptable although Harry did not have to answer any he didn't want to, an approved dictation quill could be used and he could even bring a photographer.

What most definitely was never mentioned however was the name of the paper that would be printing the story. It was a plan worthy of one and a half goblins. The Daily Prophet was heavily edited by the Ministry and the Quibbler full of nonsense. Therefore their ideas turned towards muggle newspapers.

One thing Harry was not lacking in was money, especially with how Griphook had been investing it, so he let Sirius purchase The Daily Telegraph as his guardian. It took only a few weeks before the first magical edition of the newspaper came out - wizarding news interwoven with the muggle. It was news the common witch/wizard wanted to know and anyone could submit an article about anything. By and large, over the course of a year the wizarding community switched from the Ministry controlled Prophet to the Telegraph.

Harry wanted to experience sixth form and take his A-Levels so he wouldn't finish his schooling until he was eighteen. Since no-one knew about their deal and other reporters were now following a lead that said Harry had run away to America, Terry Brook was persuaded to wait the extra year.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The day after Harry had taken his last A-Level exam Flitwick approached the young man.

"Hi Harry" Flitwick started nervously.

"Um hi Professor, how are you?"

"Oh fine, how about you? Happy now your exams are over?"

Harry grinned. "Oh yes! Glad I'm not planning on university yet though, now I can just chill."

"Before you relax completely there's just one more thing I'd really like you to help me with if you wouldn't mind?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Pick you up here at eight tomorrow, it's a Ministry thing."

"Ministry? Sorry Professor I thought them and I didn't get on since I told them I wasn't going to sort their "Dark Lord" problem?"

"We'll apparate straight to where we're going. And I believe it was the execution of your telling them that that the Minister and Albus mainly objected to, although they were sad that you didn't want to help."

"Well perhaps telling them to eff off was a bit blunt but they weren't getting the message! Yes I'll be ready at eight, as long as you don't mind how I deal with anyone who asks me stupid questions."

"Harry you can rip them to pieces verbally if you so wish, just nothing magical and nothing illegal is all I ask. Just until the job is done."

"Understood Professor. I'll do my best." Harry winked as Flitwick thumped him on the arm with a chuckle.

On his return from the Ministry the following day Harry fell into bed without even removing his shoes. Professor Flitwick's tasks had been seemingly pointless and then he'd had to battle through crowds of gormless idiots who'd come to stare at him when they realised who he was. A couple must have been journalists because he heard some questions being shouted, but he answered none. When the crowd crowded in on him and his mentor, Harry erected a shock field around them. Any person that came into contact with the shock field would receive an electric shock until they moved away. Harry heard appreciative noises come from next to him but he was too tired to care. In Harry's opinion it was a good job he had three months off - he was going to need it to recover from this!

When he awoke, Harry found a full breakfast and a pepper-up potion waiting beside his bed. He was staring at them still when Flitwick knocked on the door ten minutes later.

"Good morning Harry! You look like a man who wants to eat that food but doesn't know why it's there" Flitwick greeted him.

"No... YES sir. Did you do this?"

"I asked a house-elf to help me. If you are anything like I was, you'll be eating like a maniac for three days. I think I ate nearly an entire cow the day after my Mastery exam."

"Oh... wait WHAT?"

"You didn't think I was asking for those ridiculous things yesterday for the good of my health did you?" Flitwick asked with a grin. "I believe the results are posted a couple of days earlier than your A-Levels are. You'll be a Master of Charms before you even leave school Harry. Won't that give you something to talk to that reporter about!"

"I can't believe you did that!" Harry retorted with a chuckle of surprise. "Well turnabout is fair play Mr Sneakypants, let's see if you can get down from there!"

Flitwick hurriedly looked around him to find himself hovering in the dead centre of the room about eight feet off the floor. Harry hadn't used a specific spell and the thread of magic holding him had no discernible end that he could use to unravel it. It could be done by someone on the floor, but hovering whilst trying to undo magical threads was much much harder.

He let out a hearty laugh. "Alright Harry you win, let me down."

"What if I don't want to?" Harry replied mischievously.

"I will have to respond in kind of course" Flitwick responded with a raised eyebrow. "Don't forget I have fifty years on you and it's not only the Hogwarts students who enjoy a prank!"

Harry mock shuddered. "Oh I can only imagine what you lot get up to in the staffroom! Ok I'll let you down, when did you set me up with that reporter?"

"Sirius should be sending him his job offer for the Telegraph today. I planned to give him a couple of days to get used to us before letting you loose on him."

Harry smirked. "How chivalrous of you."

Flitwick, now safely back on the floor, punched Harry lightly.

"Eat your food. I don't want Poppy on my case for overworking you!"

"Yes sir! Eating my food sir!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The interview was front page news in the Wizarding Telegraph. The few remaining loyal supporters of the Prophet had no idea what was going on to begin with, but by the end of the day you would have had to have been hiding under a rock in the Outer Hebrides not to know about it. Questions that no-one dared ask but all wanted to know were printed there in black and white with full answers. Neither had held back in the asking, or the answering.

Harry smiled as he put down the paper. Finally the world would get its answers! Better than that, they might even listen to them! He'd even added in that any extra questions people had they could write to the newspaper to ask them and he'd answer them if he could in a weekly "Harry's Life" column. Flitwick and Griphook had agreed that giving the public this might stop him being mobbed every time he went out. He would write a little bit about what he did during the week, and in turn everyone would let him be. It was a small price to pay for an easy life, thought Harry.

Hearing noises from the park across the way, Harry got up - leaving the paper on the table. Some guys were playing football and Harry felt like joining them. He had seven weeks to wait for his results and he couldn't do anything about them now so he might as well go and enjoy himself.


End file.
